Cold as Death
by Stuff3
Summary: When a dark and mysterious force sneaks into Arendelle Elsa must do all she can as Queen to protect her home, friends and family. But things get even more complicated when she starts to fall for a man who could very easily end her life. Yes there is beauty in her powers but in his there is death.
1. More stealthful than the night

I became the Queen of Arendelle after my coronation ceremony at 21 years old. While the party itself didn't go over too well the overall aftermath was worth it. I'm still the Queen Regent of Arendelle as we have no king; my sister is blissfully in love with an ice trader and while things are peaceful on the outside there's turmoil I try to keep hidden. Not with my powers or anything but relations with other countries. Weasleton was our biggest trade partner and we've cut ties with them completely and our economy has suffered from it. The Southern Isles has been willing to help in the hopes of repairing our ties and while I'm open I remain wary of their intentions should they be as deceiving as their youngest heir. I often wonder what my mother and father would have done if they were here. It's hard not to compare yourself to your predecessors; your parents. I wonder what any of them would have done in the same situations. I bet every young ruler does. The pressures of ruling a kingdom are known only to some and ignored by the rest but it's not just that. I think the future is the scariest thing but the unknown is even worse. We hope and try to work for the best but sometimes there may be something else out there trying to do the exact same thing and maybe they don't have the same hopes and dreams you do. Maybe they conflict. I know we have to anticipate things like this sometimes and I know this will sound especially strange coming from me but I don't think I'm ready to face something out there that I don't completely understand.

-Diary of Queen Elsa

A knock at the door broke Elsa from her writing. She put her head up and her pen down.

"Come in"

Upon her approval the door opened and a servant entered.

"Your grace" he said "It's time for the council meeting. They are awaiting your presence"

"Oh of course" Elsa said shakily with a smile as she picked herself up, grabbed her diary and walked out of the room after the servant closed the door behind her. They walked through the halls before entering another room with a long table. At the table sat many other attendants each waiting for the Queen. They rose when she entered and bowed for her.

Smiling she walked over and sat herself down at the table. She observed each of them happily before realizing that one of the seats was empty.

"Excuse me" she cleared her throat "Before we begin I would like to know" she paused as they leaned in with anticipation "Where is my sister? Where is Anna?"

They looked to each other before looking to her.

"Your grace" one man spoke up "You sister had asked for one of us to inform that she will be unable to attend the council meeting today due to some…"he paused "activities in the town"

"What kind of activities may I ask?" she said intrigued

They looked to each other with shaky eyes "She's pig hunting you grace"

Elsa rolled her eyes. Classic Anna.

"She insist we continue without her" another spoke up.

Anna would likely spend all day pig hunting, pie eating or whatever crossed her mind at the time. Then she'll go to the edge of the kingdom to wait for Kristoff to return from the fjord.

Sighing a content smile Elsa was prepared to move on "Then let us begin. What is the first topic?"

They began to discuss in great detail the kingdom of Arendelle; the state of affairs, the economy, foreign relations as well as upcoming celebrations. All of which Elsa already knew about and she was bored and tired of hearing it all day after day after day. Seeing no signs of anything new she decided to act on a drastic thought that entered her mind while one of them rambled on.

"So it would be best to-"

"I'm sorry, excuse me" she cut one of them off

"Oh no apology needed your grace I will happily hold my t-"

"None of this seems to be new information" she told cutting him off again "I have been up to date on all of these things for many months now" they leaned in to anticipate her next words "So, if there is no new news. I shall like to retire for the day". Silence was her answer "If there nothing else" she nodded to them "Thank you for your time" she stood up

"Oh your grace, one more thing" one of them spoke up. Elsa turned to him with a smile.

"Yes what is it?"

"Just some reports from the outskirts of the kingdom"

"Reports? What kind of reports?" The council member in question looked around nervously to the others who looked back with similar expressions. A silence overtook the room. "Please, speak your mind" Elsa said reassuringly before sitting back down.

The council member looked to his queen with new found confidence and prepared to speak.

"There have been sightings on the outskirts of the kingdom"

"Sightings? Of what?" Elsa questioned

He stammered "I do not know your grace. Nobody can make them out. They're staying in the shadows, trying to avoid contact and being seen"

"What is?"

There was a long pause before she got her answer "Nobody knows"

Elsa's eyes flickered from one council member to the other reading their expressions.

"Perhaps" one of them spoke up "They are just seeing a large animal like a bear walking through the woods" the others nodded

"That would explain their petrified reactions" the original spoke "They all seemed shaken up when asked about it" As did the rest of them.

A smile reformed on Elsa's face, this was likely nothing to worry about "Well" she said placing her hands on the table and picking herself up "For the time being we will have the guards on the edge of the kingdom keep a closer eye on our borders" she now stood at her full height "If there is nothing else to be said…" she paused to allow them to speak "then good day" she said before turning to leave hoping to enjoy one of the "days off" Anna talked about so often.

"Your grace" one of them called getting her attention again and she turned back to them "What if these sightings continue?" he asked nervously

Elsa observed each of them as she seriously contemplated her answer. "We'll deal with that when we must" she said.

The sun passed through the sky over the kingdom and soon darkness crept over the land. The council disbanded, the citizens prepared for a good night rest and Anna remained at the gates waiting for the official ice master and deliverer to return to her.

Far away from the castle, through woods and mountains was the fjord. It lay under a starless night sky and was surrounded by the towering mountains. Small traces of light flickered at points across it due to the torches planted in the ice but they were few and spread apart. In between them lies darkness.

Standing by one of the torches was the only remaining ice deliverer and was in fact the one who would keep Anna waiting tonight. By his side was his trusty reindeer and their sleigh.

Kristoff swung down breaking the ice with his pic, and then he did it again and again. He let out a breath as he realized the wind had died down. He lowered his mask from his face and let the cold air meet it.

It was awfully quite. But not so much that it annoyed him or even warranted his attention.

Sven snorted and nudged him as he trotted in place.

"Easy buddy, I'm almost done" Kristoff chuckled as he picked up the ice and walked it over to the sleigh "I know I know, we got a pretty lady waiting for us" He placed in on the sleigh with all the others. There was no wind blowing and the silence was unnoticeable, unless disrupted.

Then he heard it; the crunching sound. The sound of snow crunching under something, something big and strong. He raised his body up from the sleigh and looked out into the distance, into the vast darkness of the fjord. He could hear the crunching in the distance.

Then suddenly Sven jolted up and bucked madly. He snorted and neighed as he bucked about in the light. Kristoff rushed to his side in an attempt to calm him down. He grabbed a hold of his neck trying to restrain his frantic actions.

"Hey hey easy" he groaned as he grabbed him. Why was he doing this? Kristoff looked out into the fjord. Something was out there.

"Hello!" he called out. He received no answer. He knew they were the only ones here since all the ice harvesters left some time ago. So what was out there now?

Making sure Sven was at ease he slowly let go and stepped forward to look out deeper into the darkness. He remained in the light of the nearby torch but whatever else was out there was not. He looked and listened.

He heard the crunching sound echo through the fjord. He looked out to the torches that illuminated other parts of the area but they all remained still. Then he saw something. 2 torches down from where he was something passed through the edge of the light. He caught it at the last second and tracked it as best he could before it disappeared back into darkness. Whatever it was it was big. The stomping of its feet matched with the crunching of the ice beneath it and that's what he followed. He listened and leaned forward as if it helped him more.

That's when the sound stopped.

Kristoff stood in the light of the torch as darkness surrounded him. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and his eyes shakily surveyed his surroundings. The silence was deadly. Now the silence caught his attention and it frightened him. They were in the middle of the fjord, there's no way it was gone already. He felt like he was being watched. No, he knew it.

Trying to contain himself through the silence he calmly backed up slowly to Sven, guided him to the sleigh and put the reins on him. Looking around once more he hopped into the sleigh with a lantern in hand. Without giving a command Sven ran off away from the light and out of the fjord and back to Arendelle.

He looked back at the fjord as Sven raced forward. In the distance he could hear a crunching sound.


	2. More deadly than the dawn

Anna waited on the edge of the castle on her horse under the starless night sky. She anticipated the return of her faithful and official boyfriend. She spent the whole day running around town as Elsa attended to her Queenly duties and Kristoff spent the day at the fjord. Now she waited for him to return to her but he hadn't come back yet.

The other ice harvesters returned one by one. They came over the hill and back to the kingdom. Each time one of them popped up her face and heart fluttered with anticipation only to be crushed when she realized it wasn't him. But none the less she waited.

She knew it was a dangerous job. Aside from the dangerous temperatures and working conditions wild animals regularly traveled along the same paths they did. She tried not to think about all the horrible things that could have happened to him but when she's stuck waiting for him late into the night it's hard not to wonder why he was late. Her head and shoulders sank each time one of the ice harvesters returned but none for her. If anything had happened they'd have to tell her, she thought.

Then as she was about to turn around and return home one final sleigh bounded over the horizon. She perked up and she only needed a glance to know whose sleigh it was, who was pulling it and who was at the reins.

Smiling she raced forward on her horse. Dipping, dodging and racing past other people she almost knocked into or trampled the other ice harvesters as her horse ran by them. She apologized sporadically of course. As she approached Kristoff's sleigh she pulled on the reins and had her horse turn so now she was riding side by side with the sleigh.

"Kristoff!" she shrieked with delight and he winced slightly and flinched. Not because she truly frightened him but because he wasn't expecting it as his mind was elsewhere; back at the fjord.

"Anna" he said after looking over to her. He pulled back on the reins as Sven slowed down to a trot and Anna did the same so they now were side by side at the same pace towards the castle. "What is it?" he asked as she starred at him in a dreamy state

"Your back!" she said, her voice still loud and energetic. So much so that many others around looked at them.

"Yeah, I am" he agreed.

"I was waiting a long time"

"I was gone a long time"

A brief silence passed over the two

"So whadda wanna do?" she asked

"Do?" she nodded "go home" he said which was now the castle since he moved in with Anna. Of course by doing this living with Anna meant he lived with Elsa too and just as those two were together Sven came with him. "Sit down, relax and-"he stopped as he noticed her watching him in awe with wide eyes "and that's about it" he hit the reins and looked ahead but out of the corner of his eye he could see she didn't stop staring "how's that sound?"

"Sound? Oh that uh.. that sounds fine I guess" she stammered and looked ahead as he did. "It's just.." she spread out the word and paused for him to speak. Something told Kristoff that if he wanted to do just as he said he would have not have pressed any further. But he also knew he didn't know any better.

"Just what?"

"Well" she spread the word out again "there's this brand new restaurant in town that just got built" He rolled his eyes as he knew he was now past the point of no return "and I was wondering-well thinking that it would be great for a new business if some of their first customers were the princess and official royal ice master and deliverer of Arendelle" she said more telling than proposing and each time she said his title it got a little longer.

Admittedly he wanted nothing to do with anything right now. He just wanted to sit down, relax and enjoy a calm peaceful evening.

But he loved Anna and he loved seeing her happy so he could sacrifice one peaceful evening for her.

"Sounds interesting, why not check it out" he said blandly. But his lack of enthusiasm was made up for in Anna who let out a cry of excitement before blitzing towards the town. Kristoff in his sleigh followed soon after. They rode into town leaving their horse, sleigh and Sven at the stables. The animals seemed jittery and on edge for some reason but Anna and Kristoff ignored them to go enjoy their evening; they didn't notice something slipping through the shadows and around corners.

Smitten with pure bliss Anna and to a lesser extent Kristoff walked through the streets which were lite bright with torches. Strolling together with their arms connected they entered into the restaurant. Anna's face lit up with even more excitement when they entered (if possible). She was like a kid in a candy store. Everything was new; everything was big, bright and wonderful. She jumped in place and clapped her hands with anticipation. Once the waiter said "how many in your party" she blurted out "two" and dashed off dragging Kristoff to a table. While the whole place wasn't empty it wasn't crowded either, not too bad for a first day sitting.

They sat at their table, candlelight in-between them and menus in their hands. Anna scrutinized every single option with wonder but Kristoff wasn't as impressed.

"What would you recommend if none of this looked good?" he asked putting the menu down.

"Whadda mean? This looks appetizing" she turned her menu and pointed to what she read.

"You don't even know what that is" he told her

"That doesn't mean it isn't good"

"Bu-" Kristoff was cut off as a loud series of shrieks and wails rang out into the air outside. Horses neighed and stomped their hooves as they trampled down the street outside. As they stormed down the street the lanterns lighting them went out one by one.

The restaurant while not lively before was now completely and deadly silent. A strange eerie feeling fell over the air as the outside was completely black. There was a shocked and still look on everyone's face as they sat in the silence.

Anna shifted her eyes to Kristoff as he looked outside with a puzzled look on his face.

"Kristoff" she said his name but he did not respond.

He was suddenly reminded of the fjord and the darkness there. Not only of that but also that there was something there with him, watching him. He couldn't help but feel the same thing now and that somehow they were related in some way.

"Kristoff" she said again and moved her hand to his. He flinched at her touch which startled her too. He looked from her and then outside.

"Wait here" he said as he got up

"What?"

"Wait here" he repeated "I have to go see something" he got up and walked off.

"What no? Why?"

"I have to see if Sven is okay.. and your horse" he added

"Let me come with you" she said getting up

"No!" he turned back "Just stay here" he put his hands up "You'll be safe here"

"Safe from what?" he had no answer for her. He probably didn't even have to say that and didn't know why he did.

"I'll be back" he said

"Okay" she smiled weakly at him. He shot one back at her, more so to reassure her than anything else. Then he turned back and walked outside.

The town was completely black with the exception of a few houses with candles or torches lit. The light from the restaurant trickled out into the streets. But with his back to it Kristoff took a right walked off to the stables. As he turned a corner something crossed from behind him.

Inside the restaurant Anna waited patiently at her table in the silence with everyone else. There was no conversation going on except for the whispers of people who clamored by the windows to peer out and look. Growing restless herself she decided to get up and look to see what everybody as staring at. When she got up to look she found that answer was..nothing. There was nothing out there.

Kristoff rounded a corner and he reached the stables. It was completely empty and ransacked; all of the horses bolted off before. But why?

He heard a heavy clip clop coming from behind and he turned as Sven came up to him.

"Sven! There you are buddy" he said as the reindeer practically tackled him and licked his face. "Hey easy, easy" he said trying to calm him down "What's happened here? Where'd the horses go? What happened to the lights?" He received no answer as Sven had none to give. Then he heard something; a thin wisp of feet sliding across the ground. Although he thought this could have easily been another resident trying to figure out what happened just as he was, something told him otherwise and he thought it would be wise to head back to the restaurant to see if Anna was alright. Sven was about to go mad and make all kinds of noises but Kristoff shoved his hand over his nose to calm him. Then tugging on Sven they marched back together.

He felt uneasy walking back through the darkness and Sven's nervousness didn't make things any better. He would peak back casually as they walked. Although he couldn't see anything sometimes he still heard the wisps, sometimes he didn't and sometimes he heard 2 pairs of them.

Anna remained looking out the window along with everyone else in the restaurant.

"Why haven't they relight the torches?" some would ask "Probably because they can't see em" some would answer.

Anna remained quite most of the time, content with looking out the window.

"Your grace" a man asked and caught her attention "Does your sister; The Queen know about this?"

"About the torches not being lit?" Anna asked "I don't know maybe" she answered although the look on the man's face made her realize that's not what he wanted to hear. He was nervous and scared. Everyone in the restaurant was and they were looking to her for guidance "I mean- I'm sure she does. This whole thing'll blow over don't worry" she said with a smile and a genuine one too so this put him more at ease. Out of the corner of her eye, looking out the window she saw something move and her mind naturally came to one conclusion. "Kristoff!" she exclaimed as she turned around, picked up her dress and raced outside. She pushed the doors open and left the bright enchanting restaurant behind and was greeted by the cold silent darkness of outside. But the gloomy atmosphere did not detour her from finding her true love. She rounded the corner to the left and looked out to where she saw movement before. She could see her breathe now, strange since it didn't seem so cold when they entered; it was probably because the torches were out she thought.

She peered out across the street and saw the same thing from what she saw inside, movement.

"Kristoff" she chirped to him. Whatever movement she saw seemed to stiffen from her voice. She received no answer. She repeated his name but still received nothing. She skipped over to him, across the street. She could see now that for whatever reason he was in an alleyway and she could not see down it. She stood before the alleyway, smiling with her hands folded in front of her, waiting for him to come out and greet her but he remained silent. "Kristoff, what's gotten into you?" she asked.

"Anna?" a voice called from behind her. Puzzled she turned around to see Kristoff and Sven standing a few paces behind her. He looked white with shock and Sven looked jittery.

"Kristoff?" she let out confused "then who-"before she let out another word she let out a scream as she was grabbed by the head and hauled off into the darkness.

Kristoff screamed her name and without any hesitation ran after her. He couldn't see anything but he definitely could hear them. A strong stomping sound ahead, no longer the light wisps he heard before but that was from behind him and they all but disappeared. He heard Anna's cries for help as she was dragged across the ground. He smelt something too. Some type of ash or cinders and other types of remnants of a fire but he saw none. He peered ahead and he saw the alley way coming to an end and he could see the traces of something carrying Anna. He was suddenly picked up from behind and landed onto Sven's back. With the reindeer's better endurance and speed they continued to chase and caught up to the assailant who turned around just in time to see a rack of horns coming at him. Then in an instant he vanished. Sven with Kristoff on top of him skidded out of the alleyway as Anna rolled into the street.

He dismounted him and went to kneel at Anna's side. She clung tightly to him as they looked around together for any sign of their assailant. Like before they saw nothing but they did hear him. A mad stomping of feet that faded the farther they got.

"Look!" Anna shouted and pointed. The three of them looked into the distance of a nearby roof. They saw a figure jump from one to the other and disappear. "I don't think those are some kids playing games"

"Come on" he said picking her up "Let's get you home. We need to tell Elsa"

"I can walk" she insisted

"But I won't let you" he said placing her on Sven before getting on himself.

"We need to tell all these people" she said as she held onto him "Were gonna fix this right?"

"Come on Sven" he spoke "show us the meaning of haste". With that said they took off for the castle.

Elsa was awoken from her slumber at the sound of a furious knocking at her door. Five knocks in a rhythmic pattern, there's only one person that could be. She ignored it at first but when it continued happening she threw off her blankets, slipped her slippers on and walked over to the door to open it.

"Anna do you have any id-" she stopped dead in her sentence when she realized that while it was certainly her sister there was a uncharacteristic look of dread on her face as well as on Kristoff's. "What is it?" she asked concerned.

The two of them were let in and they told her everything or at least everything they could. Releasing they would not lie to her, especially on something such as this and woke her only because they did not want to delay this information from being known. She knew now that those reports were true and that she had to act.

She ordered the guards within the kingdom to be doubled and to be more dutiful of their watches. She also did the same for the outskirts of the kingdom; they were still her people no matter how far away. For the next few days they waited but no news incidents were reported which some viewed as a good thing but Elsa believed that was a sign of even worse things to come.

And eventually they did.


	3. The Lin Kuei

Days past over the kingdom. Shadows came and went but there was no sign of any of the assailants. Elsa stood on the balcony watching over the kingdom. Kristoff came to her side and looked down with her.

"There were three of them. At least" he said after a long silence. She nodded "I think"

"Think?"

"It was dark. It was hard to see. I know one was with Anna and one trailed me but it could have been two" A silence passed over them. Elsa's eyes trailed down to the gardens where she saw her younger sister slumping through the gardens with her head down and her hands were clasped on one of her braids.

"I've never seen her like this before" Elsa said, her voice full of worry. "Not in a long time" Kristoff looked down with her.

"I've been missing my runs" he said "I'd like to continue to do so until this whole thing has blown over"

"Nothings happened for days"

"Then why don't I feel any better about it?" Elsa shrugged and sighed. They both continued to look down at the princess. "I'm gonna make sure she's alright" he said before turning to leave. But he stopped himself and turned back towards Elsa to say something "Your gra-"

She put her hands up "Spare me. Were family" she smiled; the first in days. Kristoff smiled back and the walked down to the gardens.

Anna strolled through the gardens of the palace. She hadn't left the walls since the attack a few days ago. Ironic considering she'd been wanting to leave her whole life. But even within her own home everywhere she went her head was on a swivel and the slightest sound would set her heart and nerves racing.

She heard a sound just now, the grass crunching behind her. She turned around and backed away at the same time holding her hands close to her body. She was relieved to see Kristoff approaching although she didn't look it.

"Kristoff" she said

"I was afraid for you Anna" he walked up and put an arm around her and noticed that she was and remained very uneasy "Anna?" she remained silent "Smile?" he asked and she flashed him a very small grin. "Where's that can do, ready for anything energetic attitude huh?" he asked but she remained silent. "I brought you something" he fiddled in his pocket and pulled out a small mushed disfigured brown ball. Anna looked at it in question "It's chocolate" he admitted. Before he could even blink the mushy chocolate ball was snatched from his hand and into Anna's mouth. He looked at her with an expected look of approval as she shot him back an embarrassed chocolate laced smile. "Well it's nice to see you smiling again"

"It is" another voice let out. They turned to see Elsa standing only a few feet behind them "Hey Anna" she said as she rolled her hands over each other leading to a snowball to form "Wanna build a snowman?"

An energetic smiled formed on the younger princess's face.

The rest of the day was better and went smoother than the past ones. The three of them spent the day together, building snowmen, having snowball fights and they even convinced Anna to go outside of the castle. They went to a local bakery when Kristoff had gotten his chocolate before and there they ate fresh chocolate and laughed the day away. Things seemed like they were finally back to normal.

But then the night came.

Anna and Kristoff entered they're bedroom laughing and smiling at and with each other to their hearts content. Elsa had gone off for her room to turn in for the night as did they. They sat on the opposite edges of their bed and started to change for the night. Kristoff took off his hat followed by his pointed boots which revealed his socks; worn down and with holes in them. This was something that caught Anna's attention as she turned over to his side wide eyed.

"Kristoff!" she exclaimed "your socks have holes in them!"

He looked down casually "So?"

"So" she dragged out the word as she hung over the bed "I can see your toes" he wiggled whichever digits were exposed. "You have to take them off" she ordered

"I am"

"And change them" this made him stop cold. "Kristoff"

"Why?" he asked

"Because it's gross" he stared at her with a dumbfounded look on his face

"And?"

"Eeeww" she gagged.

"Ew?" he repeated "What's so ew about this?" he suddenly snatched her up in his arms and she let out a shriek as he did. Before she could make another sound he kissed her and she kissed him back. After pulling away from each other they giggled and laughed and lay down in the bed.

They giggled and grinned as they held each other on the bed. Slowly they're breathes died down and all became silent. The doors were then nudged open and they calmly looked over to see Sven trot into the room.

"Hey buddy" Kristoff greeted "make yourself at home"

"Sure thing" he responded to himself as Sven laid himself at the foot of their bed. Feeling he was being watched Kristoff turned his head to Anna who looked at him curiously.

"Sven will sleep at the foot of our bed like he always does" he explained "I know your sister doesn't like it but she overlooked it for now"

"Why?" Anna asked looking up at him

"He seems to know when they're around before we do" he said ominously. She was now suddenly reminded of what had happened before. This answer put her to silence and she held him tighter. That was all he needed to tell her and he knew that. He didn't mention the axe he kept under their bed.

They kept the blinds open but it did not distract them from sleep. The hallways were patrolled by guards and although they made some noise they came and went unnoticed. But eventually they couldn't be heard at all.

A snort jolted Kristoff awake from his sleep. His heart racing he looked around the room.

Light shined in from the moon and through the window. Anna was still asleep. There was nothing but silence outside and Sven stood up at the foot of their bed, staring on alert at the door.

Leaning up more he stared attentively at the door. He heard and saw nothing. But he felt and smelt something. A sudden chill came over the room and he could smell smoke. He got up slowly now and reached for the axe under the bed. As he approached he could hear something outside. The sliding of feet similar to what he'd heard before. Slowly he slid up to the door and stood in front of it. Then the sounds from the other sides ceased. He gripped his axe tighter.

Then suddenly the doors bursts open in a gust of wind and Kristoff was knocked back and landed on the floor. Anna was woken from her sleep as she practically jumped up as the doors slammed open.

"Kristoff!" she exclaimed as he groaned on the floor. He looked up and what he saw left both him and Anna speechless.

A cloud of smoke formed at the door of the room and before their eyes molded into a man. Only his eyes and large arms were visible as he wore grey amour. His eyes immediately looked over to Anna as she lay frightened in her bed.

"There you are" he spoke. He took a step towards her but before he could take another Kristoff was up and put himself between them, the axe still in his hands.

A look of shock took a hold of this mans eyes for a moment before he seemed to laugh it off silently.

"Do you intend on challenging me?"

Kristoff responded "Who are you, what are you doing here?"

"I am called Smoke. I am Lin Kuei" he introduced himself.

"Lin Kuei?"

"More stealth full than the night. More deadly than the dawn. If you wish to remain intact, you will stand down" he took another step forward but Kristoff tensed up more. "As you wish" he stated.

He shot a quick jab at Kristoff which he barely managed to block. Before he knew it he was hit across the right side of his face, then the left, then he was kicked in the gut and shoved back across the floor. All Anna could do was shriek in terror.

Groaning Kristoff pulled himself up from the floor and looked over as Smoke advanced on Anna.

"Now princess" he spoke "You wi-uhh" he grunted as he was grabbed from behind by Kristoff and tossed across the room.

Sven let out a roar as he charged him. But he threw a ball of smoke from his hand and it connected with Sven who was teleported outside of the castle and fell from the air to the ground.

With that threat eliminated Smoke turned back to Kristoff.

"Sven!" he cried out and then he charged Smoke. He swung his axe across the air but Smoke dodged each time. He continued swinging madly but the smoke emitting from his opponent's body combined with the darkness made it hard to see him; it made it seem like there were even more of him around.

Kristoff swung the axe down but Smoke countered him. He deflected the axe by hitting his arm and then hit Kristoff across the face. Kristoff swung the axe at him and would have hit him in the chest but once he did Smoke disappeared into a cloud of smoke and flew away and reformed away from him.

Elsa sprang up from her bed. She heard a commotion from down the hall. She heard grunting, shoving and occasional words exchanged. She got up from her bed dressed in only her nightgown and raced for the door. But once she reached for the knobs she retracted her hands.

She looked down in shock as ice started to form on the knobs. But it didn't stop there. It went on to engulf the doors to her bedroom.

"No no no" she said frantically naturally assuming that for the first time since the winter that she was losing control. "Calm down" she spoke to herself in as tranquil manner as possible "Conceal, don't feel" she chanted "Love will thaw" she said as she reached for the knobs again and expecting the ice to thaw. Only it didn't. She heard the sounds of a struggle outside but she was trapped inside by ice on her door that she didn't create.

But if she didn't who did?

Kristoff was punched onto the floor by Smoke.

"Stay down" he advised standing over him. Kristoff reared his leg up and kicked Smoke in the gut. He rose as quickly as he could as punched smoke across the face. He raised his arm wielding the axe was about to slam the it down onto his head.

But then he was kicked in the face.

He fell to the floor again and the axe fell from his hand. He turned his head around to see another man standing with Smoke. He was Chinese and wore red armor.

"Your carelessness has alerted the guards to our position" he spoke with malice

"Forgive me Sektor I-"

"Cyrax cannot hold them off for long. Grab the princess and go" he looked down at Kristoff "I will deal with him" Kristoff looked over to the axe and realized he needed it now more than ever. He reached his arm out for it but before he could grab it Sektor stepped on his hand. Enjoying seeing Kristoff in pain he kicked the axe away with his other foot.

Kristoff heard Anna let out a scream as Smoke walked towards Anna. Screaming he snapped his foot out from under Sektor but before he could do anything else Sektor kicked him in the face. Then he stomped his foot down onto his head.

"No!" Anna shouted

Sektor then knelt down and picked him up by his shoulders and held him in the air. Kristoff reared his arm up and slugged Sektor across the face. Enraged in response he head-butted him and then tossed him across the room. Anna called his name and ran from her bed, away from Smoke and to his side.

As she ran to Kristoff's aid another assassin came to Sektor's and Smokes.

"We have to hurry" Cyrax warned "The guards are on their way. We cannot delay any longer"

Sektor nodded to him "I will show no mercy" he said looking over to Kristoff.

Kristoff had gotten up from the floor with Anna at his side. He noticed the axe at his feet. He bent down and picked it up; his body feeling the effects of the fight. He starred down the three assassins.

Then Sektor snapped his arm up and from his wrist shot fire at them. Kristoff grabbed a hold of Anna and they jumped away just as the fire would have incinerated them.

"Sektor! Not the girl!" Cyrax shouted.

They all turned their heads to where they went. They were across the room now and now in a corner. Kristoff held the axe in his hand as he put himself before Anna.

The three Lin Kuei assassins were set up at the door. Cyrax, Sektor and Smoke in-between them. Kristoff weakened and barley able to hold onto his axe stood panting between them and Anna.

"Stay down and this will end" Smoke said and Cyrax nodded. Kristoff didn't budge. Then suddenly Smoke charged him and Kristoff ducked as he threw a punch. He swung up with one of his own that caught smoke off guard. Then he punched him back and advanced on him. He brought up his axe to swing it.

"Smoke!" he heard a voice cry out. It was not Cyrax or Sektor's but a new voice. It belonged to the man who's hand was placed on smokes shoulder.

Kristoff now realized he was wrong in his assumption.

Propelling up and over Smoke's shoulder was a fourth assassin. Kristoff didn't have time to see who it was as a hard fist connected with his face and knocked him back. Everything felt cold as it went black.

And black is all he saw for what felt like an eternity. He felt an agonizing pain in his head. He opened his eyes slowly and weakly to see the chandelier and light coming in from the window. Morning already? He groaned and grunted as he moved his numb body. He picked himself up and looked around. He was in a room in the castle that was serving as a hospital; clearly evident by the large amounts of guards there with wounds. Bandages, broken bones and shell shock plagued each of them.

Kristoff picked himself up from the bed he was in just as a doctor came by. The thing that plagued him the most was that he felt alone and somehow guilty.

"Easy there" he warned "You may be better off than most of them but you still need to take it slow"

Kristoff ignored almost everything this man said. He grabbed a hold of the doctor's shoulders aggressively.

"Where is she? Where is the princess?!"

"The Queen is-"

"Anna, where is Anna?!"

"The princess?" he gulped and was silent with shifty eyes "Go to the Queen"

Kristoff released the man and stormed out of the room tearing off whatever bandages were placed on him. He walked outside of the castle to see swarms of guards all over the place. They were handing out or sharpening their weapons. They were in large groups and talked among themselves.

He felt a snort and turned as Sven nudged into him. "Hey bud" he said as he grabbed a hold of him affectionately "Are you alright?" he asked before he answered for him. "Where is Elsa?" he asked. Sven snorted and pointed off into another direction and they walked off.

He walked off away from the castle and the towns surroundings it. He went into the woods where strangely enough snow and ice started to take shape. Soon enough the trees and grass were covered in snow or encased in ice. Sharp jagged points split off from branches, the grounds and every angle it could. Kristoff heard whimpering and heavy breathing.

He looked around but saw nothing. He ventured further into the frozen forest and it got louder and louder so much so that the snow and ice under his feet were forgotten from this overbearing sound. He stopped his advance and looked to his left where he saw Elsa the snow Queen and Queen regent of Arendelle curled up in a ball against a frozen tree with her hands in her knees.

This was all the proof he needed. Anna was gone.

He stepped forward and Elsa perked up and looked at him. She saw him standing there and slowly got up wiping her eyes and almost stumbling. She used the tree to glide up but still rested against it.

"Elsa" he took another step forward.

Crying she ran over and hugged Kristoff and he hugged her back.

"Is she.." he didn't say the word. Dead.

"I don't-"she choked "I don't think so" silence overtook them as they breathed heavily against one another "We have to get her back" she said

"We will". They released each other

"Who could have done this?" Elsa asked

"The Lin Kuei" Kristoff answered

Elsa was confused by his answer but before she could ask who or what that was one the guards came sprinting towards them.

"Your grace" he panted as he stopped and stood before Kristoff and Elsa.

"What is it?" she asked

"We-we've" he huffed "found one of them". Elsa and Kristoff's eyes bugged open as they turned to each other and then back to the guard. They followed him across the courtyard and through the hallways with more guards appearing the closer the got. Other things appeared as well.

Broken weapons, chunks of ice, water from the melted ice and whole statues of guards littered the hallways. But these were no statues; they were really them frozen in time. But the ice here was not like Elsa's; beautiful to look at. This was sharp jagged and gave off a very violent and threatening aura.

They followed him to the end of a hallway where swarms of guards stood their spears pointed down at the floor. Sitting on the floor was a man in chains. Elsa looked at him with scorn but Kristoff knew exactly who this was.

This was the fourth assassin.


	4. Anna and Sub-zero

Anna felt stuck. Her knees were at her chest and her arms were caught both under and above her. She felt surrounded by a soft fabric which she bounced around in. She felt like she was being crushed. She could hear voices and clamoring in the distance. Then the bouncing stopped and she suddenly felt abrupt contact with something hard beneath her.

Suddenly a stream of light entered the bag and she winced at the sight of it. Then something reached in, grabbed her, pulled her out and dropped her.

Rubbing her head and pouting she looked up to see hoards of large muscular men in garbs and armor standing around her in a large stone room. The room was similar to the throne room of her home except it was the dull color of stone and much of it was covered in shadows. Frightened she crawled back on the floor away from them only to bump against something. Looking up she saw she had bumped into Sektor's legs.

Scoffing he kicked her off him as he stood next to Cyrax.

Anna slowly got up "What am I doing here? What's going on?" She received no answers; instead all of the men turned their heads away from her and towards a throne. Sitting on this throne was a man dressed similarly to them, only his robes were longer and red; he resembled some sort of priest.

He rose from the throne and was announced "The Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei"

While Anna was more accustomed to royal titles such as princess or Queen she could tell that this title held great weight to the Lin Kuei. Whoever the Grandmaster is and whatever the Lin kuei was he ran it.

When this man entered all the men bent down to the floor to bow to him. Now being royalty Anna was used to being bowed to and politely curtsying in response. So that's naturally what she did.

"Hello, nice to meet you" she bowed picking up her dress. He looked her over curiously while the others in the room seemed shocked or distraught by her casual addressing of their leader.

"This is the Grandmaster!" Sektor shouted as he got up and pointed at Anna "You will bow bef-"the Grandmaster raised his hand to silence his son.

"Oh so you're the leader?" Anna piped up as she looked him over "So you're the one responsible for running around my home and kidnapping me" she concluded and he nodded to her "What's the big idea? It is not nice to kidnap people"

"The Lin Kuei does what it must to remain in power" he told her as he finally spoke from the bottom of the stairs "And it is through people such as you that this will happen" he pointed to her

"Me? What did I do?" Anna asked. Now she was getting confused.

"Nothing, yet" the Grandmaster said as all around them rose "You have been chosen because your skills could assist us in our goals"

"Skills?" she questioned

"Yes" he responded "Show us your skills" he demanded

"Skills?" Anna let out again "Well let's see..." she pondered "Well I can sing, dance and I like to talk to animals" she told and became more excited as each word exited her mouth. However her audience didn't share that enthusiasm. Most looked at her in confusion while others in disgust "Oh and I can eat a lot of chocolate!"

"Stop" he said sternly and she did so "I meant your powers. Show me your powers"

"Powers?"

"Yes" he said "I've only ever known of two others with your power" he told "and one of them was the finest warrior the Lin Kuei ever had."

"Finest warrior? Where is he now?" Anna asked almost eagerly

A thin silence fell on the room

"Dead"

Anna let his answer sink in briefly and was a little shocked by his answer "He doesn't sound that good" uncomfortable silence and deathly stares followed "That's unfortunate" she said nervously. She then wanted to change the subject. "Why was he so good?"

"He was bold, remorseless and killed with a passion"

"That doesn't sound like a good thing"

"He did what needed to be done. Now" he paused "show me what you will do."

"Wait" Anna said and many were again distressed by her command to the Grandmaster "Who's the other one. Where is he?"

"He was one of those sent to capture you"

"I don't have anything in common with them!"

"Ah but you do. You see like one of them you are a cryomancer"

"Chiropractor?" Anna questioned. Admittedly she didn't know much about bones other than what connects to what and her current company knew what way they turn and what way to turn to break them.

"No" he responded sternly as if starting to loose his patience. "Cryomaner. You control ice and snow unlike your worthless sister" he scorned.

"Hey! Elsa's not-" Anna suddenly felt like she was frozen for the second time in her life. She was paralyzed with fear and shock. She was kidnapped. But they thought she was someone else. They thought she was Elsa.

But she couldn't let them know that.

"Oh yeah" she put on a mock confidence "Yeah, yep me and my ice powers doing all kinds of.. frozen.. stuff" she grinned as they all stared at her "So what do you guys know about me?"

"You froze your homeland" the Grandmaster told "only to thaw it later"

"Uh-huh" she nodded sounding more like she was answering a question than admitting her past.

"But we will have no use for thawing here. Show us" he said and his voice echoed through the halls of the temple.

"Show you?...Right now?" she smiled nervously.

The Grandmaster looked her over now. Only his eyes were visible through his robe and the rest of the clan was silent for him. He was now done asking.

"Sektor" he called and his son stepped forward. He waved his hand and two men came forward with staffs. They gave one to Sektor who took it and gripped it firmly while Anna regarded her own in surprise and then wonder.

"No no that's not really-"it was shoved into her hands "whoa" she said wide eyed. She continued to look it over as the crowd backed away from them. Sektor starred her down with a stern brow. "So what do we do with this?" Anna asked obliviously as he approached her. "Do we pole vault or throw it cause I don't thi-"

She was suddenly struck across her face from the side by Sektor. She collapsed to the floor holding her face sobbing already; her dress sprawled over the floor. Sektor advanced again but she showed no sign of reacting. So he hit her again as she lay on the floor. She let out a wail and asked him to stop. Only he didn't. He hit her again and again. She whimpered each time and it echoed through the temple. Everyone else just watched.

Sektor looked down at her in disgust. She would not fight back. She would not reveal her powers. She just lay there defenseless like a baby. She was helpless, hopeless. Unworthy. He raised his rod again and swung it down. Only this time he stopped mid swing but not because he wanted to.

He turned around to see Cyrax holding the staff effectively stopping him from swinging it.

"That's enough Sektor" he scolded

"Cyrax, you dare?!"

"Enough!" the Grandmasters voice carried through the air. Sektor and Cyrax turned to him and bowed.

"Forgive me" Cyrax apologized "I-"The Grandmaster raised his hand effectively cutting him off. He called for Sektor to come to him and then waved his hand dismissing the rest of them. Sektor went to his father, Smoke went to Cyrax and the room cleared. Now only three remained; Cyrax, Smoke and the still whimpering Anna.

The two assassins knelt down to her side and put their hands on her but she recoiled and slumped away with her face still buried in her hands.

"It's alright" Smoke said but Anna still remained distant. Cyrax then put his arms around her and sat her up.

"Stop crying" he said "You have to stop crying". Sniffling Anna obliged but she remained shaken. "Why didn't you fight back?"

"I don't know how to fight" she began sobbing again "I don't wanna fight. I wanna go home"

"There there, it's alright" Smoke put a hand to her shoulder but she shook him off

"No it's not. Why are you doing this?"

"It is our duty as Lin Kuei"

"Why?" she asked gain but she received a similar answer "Kristoff?" she questioned "The man I was with, did you hurt him?"

"He is alright "Cyrax stated reassuringly with his hands on her shoulders "He will be fine"

"Elsa?" she muttered "My sister what did you do to he-"

"Your sister was barricaded in her room. She will be able to get out" she looked at them "Nobody is dead. No one else is hurt"

Anna sniffled again and Smoke spoke up

"What is your name?" he asked

"A-Anna" she admitted honestly and expected they didn't know Elsa's.

"I am called Smoke"

"Cyrax"

"Anna" Smoke spoke "I took this mission because my friend Sub-zero was assigned as well. Not only that but I thought that if he met someone like you, someone who had similar powers to him, he would perhaps be at peace with himself and what we do." he paused "The last one was not so reassuring to him" he spoke ominously of the other one.

"Sub-zero?" Anna questioned

"He has yet to return" Cyrax muttered to Smoke "We should check on him" he nodded

"Sub-zero?" Anna spoke louder

"Yes, the other cryomancer the Grandmaster spoke of"

"Cryomancer?"

"Controller of ice and snow"

"But..." Anna squeaked before she burst into tears

"What? What's wrong" they asked her

"I can't" was all she said.

In another part of the temple the Grandmaster spoke to his son.

"Her powers froze and entire kingdom. With the dragon medallion she would become immensely powerful" he mused "yet she is uncooperative" he said

"I will fix this" Sektor said "I-"

"There is little left for us to do" he said "If she will not show us her powers and normal methods of force will not work we will have to devise other means to accomplish our goals"

"Sir?"

"The cyber innovative will put an end to personal honor, guilt, doubt, and morals. We will become the most effective force in Earthrealm. We will not collapse like the Shirai Ryu. We are Lin kuei. More stealth full than the night more deadly than the dawn"

Back at Arendelle the kingdom was on lock down. Armed guards manned the walls in anticipation for anything. Others practiced their combat skills and for a select few who had been frozen merely a few hours ago by an assailant they were staying warm by a fire and eating soup.

Elsa walked through the courtyard and the castle gracefully, her hands folded on top of each other at her waist. Everyone she walked by bowed their heads with an appropriate greeting "My lady" "My Queen". She had called a great meeting with all of the neighboring countries, many of which had attended her coronation and many of them would show up for this meeting; this would include both the Southern Isles and Weselton. She realized that in times when a threat can easily sneak into your home she would have to know what nations she could rely on and if old enemies can become friends. Although she may have to stomach the duke of Weselton she was hoping that a certain someone would not be the diplomat for the Southern Isles.

She walked through the castle and opened the doors to one of the rooms which just so happened to be the room in which Anna figured out Hans troublesome ways. Sitting around the fire was the group of soldiers who had been frozen from the previous night. Wrapped in blankets and eating soup they joked and carried on as if nothing happened. One of them turned his head to see Elsa at the door.

"You grace" they fumbled getting up

"At ease" she smiled as she walked up to them and they were more relaxed "How are you all feeling?"

"Much better now my lady"

"Good to hear" she said sincerely "If you'll excuse me gentlemen" she bowed her head and they did as well. She then turned around and headed out of the room.

"Where are you heading my lady?"

"To see our new guest" she said as she exited the room.

She walked down the halls and descended a stairwell to arrive at the dungeon. She passed many armed guards as she did so. She headed down until she stopped before a cell with two guards in front of it.

It was in this cell that she just happened to have been prisoner in not too long ago although it had since been repaired. Now it was much stronger, hopefully strong enough to hold this prisoner.

She reached for the door but the two guards blocked her way.

"Pardon your grace" one of them said "I'd advise against you going in there. It could be dangerous"

"I appreciate your concern" Elsa said "but I must do this" Nodding to her they no longer blocked her way. Elsa reached for the door.

There were too many things she wanted to know from this man.

She opened the door to reveal the dark dungeon. The clouds in the sky above blocked any light that would have made it in here. She looked over to the bed frame where a large figure was sitting, his hands behind his back. A new precaution they took but one Elsa was weary of. That meant she couldn't see his hands and she had an idea of what he could do; the exact same thing she could in the same position.

She closed the door behind her and he turned his head to her.

"Your grace" his gravelly voice echoed around the stone walls and his breath could be seen.

Composing herself and in a very eloquent manner she walked towards him and he watched her as she advanced. When she stopped before him he said nothing and she wasn't sure of what to say first. She cleared her throat. He raised his scarred eye in question.

"I want-" she started but stopped. He remained neutral "I want you to know you are not being imprisoned because you are different" his face remained stern, indifferent to all she said. "You are being imprisoned for the abduction of my sister the princess of Arendelle as well as the assault on the prince". Truly Kristoff wasn't a prince yet but he was dating a princess, they had to call him something.

"Prince?" he finally spoke.

"Yes"

"What kind of prince cuts ice for a living?"

"One who marries into royalty" he said nothing "How do you know about that?" How long had they been watching them? How much else did they know?

"I saw him cutting ice a few days back"

"The fjord?"

He nodded "If that is what you call it"

Elsa was silent now. She twiddled her fingers nervously and looked him over. "Is my sister alive?"

"Yes" he said with certainty.

Elsa was relieved to hear this but didn't know if she could trust him "How can you be sure?"

"We were told to capture her alive"

"Why?"

"Our orders. She will be impressed into the ranks of the Lin Kuei. If what we know is true she will be a valuable member"

"But why her?"

"She has powers" he told "not unlike my own"

Elsa eyes widened, her heart skipped a beat and she cringed. She started hyperventilating and collapsed down onto the floor and held her hands to her chest.

The guards burst through the door at the sound of the commotion their weapons drawn.

"You!" they shouted "What have you done to our Queen". They raced towards him and were about to swing their weapons down at him before a voice cried out

"Stop!" Elsa cried from the floor; her back to them all "Leave us" she whimpered

"My lady-"

"Leave us" she said again only now with force in her voice. Shocked and nervous for her the guards glanced from her to him and then back to her. Then they retreated back towards and out the door.

The door shut and Elsa slowly rose to her feet. Her back was facing away from him so he could not see the look of determination on her.

"What powers does my sister have?" she asked as tears fell down her cheeks

"She can control ice and snow"

"Is that it?" he nodded "Is this what you want to see?!" she swung around with her right arm forward and a wave of ice encircled her prisoner and send sharp pointed shards all round him. A select few pointed at his neck and he writhed back to the away but they were dangerously close. She breathed deeply as some of the ice shards pointed against his throat. "Give me my sister back!" she shrieked. He remained silent as he was chained against the wall. "The guards out there will kill you at my command!" Elsa shouted and then she began rambling "Kristoff wants you dead, I will kill you myself"

"No you won't" he spoke up in confidence despite the ice near his throat and this seemed to startle Elsa. Admittedly she never wanted to hurt anyone but she couldn't let him see any weakness in her.

"Yes I will" she lied

"No you won't" he reinstated.

"How do you know?" she snarled "You didn't even know me from my sister. How do you know anything about me?"

"Your no killer. I can tell" he paused "I've killed men, I've seen them bleed and I've watched them die"

"Doesn't that bother you?"

"...Sometimes" he admitted and it was the truth. His clans activates and motifs often weighed heavily on his mind. And then there was the cyber initiative "But killing me would only seal your sister's fate and they will take you anyway. She will likely be killed once they realize we have the wrong person"

The spikes inched towards his neck "That's not going to happen"

He fidgeted as he tried to back away but found he had no room.

"I will help you, if you'll let me" he grunted

"You'll say anything to get out of this"

"Do you want your sister back?"

Elsa eyes widened "How?" she pleaded

"You have to let me go"

"What? No?! You are my prisoner, you will remain here" she stomped her foot

"Do you love your sister?"

"Of course"

"Then to save her you must let me go"

"Why would I do that?"

He studied her "You know we came for you" he said and she shuddered "When the others captured her I stayed behind to cover their escape with the intent to meet up with them later. As you can see that did not turn out as planned "he paused to let her absorb all of what he said "Let me go and come with me and they may allow her to leave alive once you take your rightful place among us"

"My place is here" she stomped her foot again.

"This is may be her only chance" he said.

Elsa studied him now. Leaving Arendelle was not an option but she had to save Anna "I wish I could trust you" she wrapped her arms around herself insecurely.

"You can" he insisted.

"How?"

He said nothing. Instead he slowly rose to his feet and pulled his hands from behind his back; free from the shackles which were frozen and shattered behind him. He was free this whole time yet did nothing. That was his sign of trust but perhaps it wasn't viewed that way.

Shocked Elsa stumbled back and was about to shoot ice at him and call for the guards but he raised his hand.

"I will not hurt you" he said soothingly and that surprisingly stopped her although she still remained frightened. He slowly walked towards her with his hand extended on his large arm, both of which were protected by plates of armor on his massive forearms and biceps. Once he was in arms distance he slowly lowered his arm.

She relaxed now although her face still remained distant.

"We will get your sister back" he stated.

Elsa no longer cringed at him but stood up tall although she was still very small in comparison to him.

"What is your name?" she asked

"Sub-zero"

"I am Queen Elsa"

"The Snow Queen?" she nodded. He dragged his fist across his chest and then knelt "Your grace" he bowed before getting up. Elsa looked him up and down in silence before asking him something she'd been wondering all along. If she was really all alone.

"Are there any others like you?" she asked long fully

He looked her over in a somewhat dazed glance "There's smoke and I. Then ther-"

"No I mean like **you**" she said again with extra emphasis.

Sub-zero now knew what she was asking. He lowered his eyes to the ground "One other"

"What's he like? He's not like the rest of you is he?" she asked frantically

"No" he answered and this seemed to fill the Queen with hope "worse"


	5. Let it go

Far away from the kingdom of Arendelle and even the stone temple of the Lin Kuei was another place entirely. It was not of this earth or realm even for this realm was beneath all the others, forever consumed by fire, lava, demons, corpses and screams of anguish. The fire forever illuminated this domain and yet walking across it was someone who starkly contradicted it.

Although the fire raged around him he remained as black as night with white pupil less eyes adorned by a strong muscular frame.

"Perfected" as he called it.

And although he wore these colors and name with pride they were not his first.

He walked across the molten rock unfazed until he heard his name called.

"Noob" a deep voice called from behind him. Pivoting on his feet he turned around to see the sorcerer who "perfected" him; Quan Chi.

"Quan Chi" Noob's deep voice said his master's name

"Come" he waved his hand "There is work to be done". He turned around and Noob followed him.

Back in Arendelle Sub-zero was free from his bonds but Elsa made it clear that she was not ready to go to the Lin Kuei herself, not yet anyway. He was free to roam the castle but not without an escort which was usually the Queen herself. The guards and certainly Kristoff didn't like the idea of her being alone with him but through it she gained insight. She learned of the Lin Kuei itself and even a little of her new guest. He was kidnapped as a boy and impressed into the Lin Kuei. It was there he learned how to control ice alongside another although when she asked about him he had little to say.

In turn she told him of herself. Her youth, powers, coronation etc. Although he looked and sounded reserved (not unlike her) as she told him he still seemed interested in what she had to say. But she wanted more out of him.

The guards were setting up a small obstacle course in the courtyard. Sub-zero stood in the middle of them all as they set it all up. From above Elsa and Kristoff watched it unfold. Kristoff looked with a look of stern disapproval with his arms crossed and her with an almost giddy enthusiasm. He noticed the large grin on her face as the scene before them unfolded.

"You seem cheery lately" he commented almost snidely

"What-am I?-I am?" she responded sporadically

"Yeah. Starting from when you let him loose" he said as they both looked over to Sub-zero.

"Well… were one step closer to getting Anna back"

"Or is it because he can control ice?" Elsa said nothing but she deliberately tried not to look at Kristoff "Well?"

"Let's not talk about this right now?"

"Let's not talk about it?" he repeated and raised his voice slightly "This man helped kidnap your little sister; the woman I love and you don't seem the slightest bit concerned"

Elsa breathed deeply and then exhaled. Some of the guards were looking but Sub-zero didn't seem to notice.

"Were going to need his help" she said softly "I trust him" she paused "He's going to help us"

"How can you be sure? How do you know he's not lying to you and using his own abilities to create ice to manipulate you?""

"I just…I just know it"

"Your majesty!" one of the guards called from below "Were ready!"

"Excellent" Elsa said "Clear the courtyard! Give him room!" she ordered and they all moved away from Sub-zero. In their place all around them were some clear areas, some broken columns on the floor and at Sub-zero's request some mannequins but they were not unarmed.

Kristoff slumped into his seat while Elsa stood before hers; 2 guards stood next to both of them.

"Sub-zero" Elsa called down and the assassin turned to her "There are a series of obstacles before you" he waved her hand showcasing the mannequins, broken columns that held up roofs and so on "Show us what you can do"

"As you wish" he responded, his breathe visible. Elsa sat back in her chair yet leaned forward with anticipation.

"This should be a waste of time" Kristoff muttered

"You know for someone who deals with ice for a living you're pretty unimpressed by this"

"Can't imagine why" he replied scrunched up in his chair.

Elsa exhaled a breathe "I- We need to know what he can do" Elsa said looking down at him "I need to know who were dealing with" Kristoff already had it in his mind what kind of man this was but he nodded to her in agreement.

Down below Sub-zero took a deep breathe. He observed his surroundings. There was a mannequin standing before him only a few feet away. There was another to his right, left and behind; this one with an axe raised ready to cut him down. Another two were together and another was behind a broken column with an arrow. Then he exhaled.

He snapped around with a kick knocking the axe from the hands of his stationary opponent. Then he sent a blow to the head and then neck. Had this been a real man it could have bee lethal given the force he'd use. He turned around and flung his arms out.

Everyone's eyes widened but none more so than Elsa. He shot a blue beam out at the mannequin before him freezing it solid. Then ice formed at his feet and he turned, sliding towards the one on his right. He slid forward and then uppercut it sending it into the air and crashing down. But he realized now that he would be in perfect range of the archer. Ice formed across his body and he slid back as a doppelganger took his place and whatever arrow may have come his way. Then he bolted towards the one he froze earlier. It was beginning to thaw. He let loose a powerful kick knocking it back and whatever ice still on it off. Walking towards it as it lay on the ground he stomped onto its throat.

Elsa cringed as the metal flattened under his boot.

He turned to another mannequin holding a sword. He swatted the sword away and then shot his arms out freezing the legs of his lifeless opponent. He walked forward grabbed it by the neck and hoisted it from the ice and leaving the legs behind. He threw the torso away effortlessly and turned to see 2 mannequins next to each other.

He shot an ice beam above one's head and a block of ice formed above only to fall and crush it. He slid up to the other on ice as an ice sword formed in his hand. He knocked the mannequin's weapon away with his own and then ran it through its face. Breaking the ice blade at the hilt and grunting as he did so he kicked it away with the blade still in it's face.

He now only had one left; the archer. He turned to the columns where it stood with his arms out. He unleashed his powers towards the small structure freezing not only his target but the whole setup. He trudged towards it slowly and stopped before it. He unleashed a powerful punch onto it and the small structure as well as the mannequin shattered.

Elsa and the guards were shocked and speechless at what they saw. But Kristoff managed to find words.

"Okay that was kinda cool" he admitted

Sub-zero stood in the aftermath of his exposition. His breathing started to return to normal as he calmed down. He looked up to where Elsa and Kristoff sat. It wasn't long before she came down to him.

"Well that was.. " she struggled to find the words "impressive"

"It is what you asked for; a demonstration" he said sternly. Admittedly immobile targets were what he was used to but he wasn't allowed to run wild against the guards again.

"Yes but you only destroyed the mannequins" Elsa pointed out "and the columns as well" she looked over to where they once stood "You could have connected the broken ones with you powers instead"

"And what would that solve?"

"Well it would have fixed them" she pointed out

"But not dispose of my enemies"

Elsa faltered for a moment "Which were only put there at your request" he was silent "Had they not been there what would you have done?"

"I would have let it be" he told "What is broken will remain so. And I will remind you that I had more pressing things to attend to in this exercise"

"But that's not all you could do" she stated.

"And what do you do with your powers?" he asked.

"We could have a snowball fight" she suggested. He was silent and looked at her curiously. When that didn't seem to interest him she thought long and hard about what else she could do. It didn't take long. "Let me show you" she smiled and he seemed much more interested.

Elsa told everyone they were to leave the kingdom as she had something to show him in the north mountain.

The guards and Kristoff refused to let her leave alone with him, they forbade it. She calmly and coolly told them that Kristoff is in charge of the castle while she is gone and they are to listen to him. "A member of the royal family must be here" she told them. She told Kristoff she had to do this and it may save Anna. He said nothing to deny her.

So with her decision made the two of them walked off for the north mountain.

It was silent for the most part but eventually they did make some conversation.

"This must be a long trek for you" she said

"Hm?" he looked to her as they walked and she broke the silence

"I've only walked this way once; I hope it's not too far for you"

"I've walked across your kingdom before." he said, reminding Elsa of why he was here in the first place "I will be fine"

For Elsa an uncomfortable silence overcame them and she felt it necessary to change the subject, quickly.

"So what does the Lin Kuei do?" she blurted out. He had told her of other realms but she wasn't exactly sure how the Lin Kuei fit into everything but then again neither did he. But he didn't refuse to answer.

"We have missions across the realms" he told "There is the Netherealm, Chaosrealm, Ordereahlm, Outworld, Edina" he listed the many realms.

"I'd like to see those things" she admitted, getting a little excited.

"You will" he said "As a member of the Lin Kuei you will have dealings in these areas"

"Oh, so were protecting the earth" she said astonished and finding a silver lining to what they do but Sub-zero looked at her sternly.

"If it suits us". The astonishment faded from Elsa's face and it was replaced again with worry. She was reminded of something else the Lin Kuei was good at.

"All of the men you killed; did they deserve to die?"

He took in a breathe and then exhaled "Maybe"

She became uncomfortable again and felt it extremely necessary to change the subject, only to something lighter in tone.

"Look you can see the mountains from here" she pointed.

Sub-zero then stopped and Elsa did too only a few steps ahead "What is it?" she asked

"This is a waste of time" Sub-zero said and she seemed disgruntled by what he said "If we are to save your sister we must move quickly, not falter about"

Elsa folded her hands on top of each other "There's another reason I came here" she admitted as she looked down to the ground "If this is really going to be my last time in Arendelle I have to do this"

"Do what?" he asked

"Say goodbye to my friends" she admitted sadly

"Hmph?" he questioned. They then heard a low slithering sound. Sub-zero became alert while Elsa remained saddened yet composed. It became louder and louder and he swore it was coming at him, at a very slow pace if anything. Then it stopped. He looked around as a smile formed on Elsa's face as she looked in-between them. Then Sub-zero did too.

"Hi!" a talking snowman said.

"Olaf!" Elsa said cheerily.

"AAH" Sub-zero grunted as he snapped his arm down and grabbed the snowman by the head and tore it from his body. Elsa shrieked and put her hands over her mouth as he panted with the head above his body.

"Oh look I've been beheaded" a voice said above his head. Confused Sub-zero looked above to see the snowman's head talking in his hand. "Hey could you put my head back on my body?" he asked casually as Sub-zero looked back to see the snowman's body walking into his leg. He looked to Elsa curiously who looked back at him shocked. Calming down he lowered his arm and put the head back to where it belonged.

"Oh there much better" he said patting himself off. He then turned to Elsa "Elsa!" he ran for her and they embraced warmly as Sub-zero watched.

"I missed you" Elsa said before they let go of each other

"Who's this?" he asked pointing to Sub-zero

"Who's he? He um..uhh"

"A friend" he spoke up

Elsa looked to him "Yeah"

"Friend? Okay!" Olaf walked up to him "Hello friend I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs" he held his arms out for a hug. Sub-zero just looked down at him in question and confusion. He'd seen a lot of strange things in his life but this was definitely something else entirely. "It's kinda like how you like decapitations friend" Olaf said with his arms still out

"My name is Sub-zero" he said

"Oh okay then" he said putting his arms down. "Where are you guys going?" he asked looking at Elsa

"To the north mountain" Elsa told him with a smile back on her face

"Ohhh like a date?" he asked

Both their eyes bugged open "What no-no not like that" Elsa stuttered "Where just going there"

"Can I come too?"

"Of course" she giggled and looked as if she was on the verge of tears. Sub-zero now knew this was who she wanted to say goodbye to. "Is Marshmallow still there?"

"Yep and he'll be so happy to see you!"

"Lead the way" Elsa said and Olaf trotted off in front of them but then turned around to Sub-zero. He waved him down and begrudgingly he bent a knee to get close to him

"You know I like to consider myself a love expert so if you need any help" he winked and nodded over to Elsa as Sub-zero looked him over "just ask" he whispered to Sub-zero before trotting off in front of them.

"What did he say to you?" Elsa asked closing the distance between them.

The assassin looked the snow queen over "Nothing" he paused "What is he?"

"He's Olaf" Elsa smiled as they began to walk after him side by side

"But what is he?"

"He's the living embodiment of my love for my sister. We made him when we were little and now he's alive" she sounded again as if on the verge of tears "Don't you have anything like that?"

Sub-zero thought long and hard but never gave her an answer.

Back in the Netherealm Quan chi and Noob walked.

"What is it?" Noob asked his master.

"There is an interesting series of events occurring in Earthrealm" he told as they walked

"Earthrealm?" he questioned

"Yes" he nodded "specifically involving your beloved brother"

"Beloved?" Noob suddenly questioned and stopped. Quan chi slowed down and looked back at him with in question yet he already knew the answer. Noob looked at him unyielding. An evil grin formed on Quan chi's face.

He waved his hands to create a window to Earthrealm and Noob came to his side to view it as well. He watched with Quan chi as he saw his younger brother; the new Sub-zero. But he was not alone.

There was a woman with him. She was young and beautiful with white hair in a single ponytail that ran down her back. She wore a blue dress and heels.

For some reason there was also a talking snowman.

"What is this?" Noob asked sternly yet curiously.

"This is the current prize of the Lin Kuei" the sorcerer told him "She is the queen of her land and a manipulator of ice and snow" Noob looked on intrigued although his face did not show it "The Lin Kuei abducted her sister believing she was her but" he paused" they miscalculated"

"I no longer serve their cause" Noob said "But how?" he turned to Quan chi

"Their information was" he waved his hand and his formed changed into a Lin Kuei member with white garbs "corrupted" another voice spoke. He waved his hand and he assumed his natural form. "This woman is valuable or else the Lin Kuei wouldn't have gone through the trouble of finding her. Bring her here to me"

Noob looked at the image again before disappeared into a black portal.

Back at the Lin Kuei temple Anna had told Cyrax and Smoke everything; that she was not Elsa and nothing was what they thought it to be. The two of them decided against telling the others and would protect her during her time here. They weren't sure how to fix things but they did know one thing.

Sub-zero wasn't back yet.

"He has not returned yet" Cyrax said

"He is my friend" Smoke told him, his helmet off and long gray hair to match his name exposed "It should not have taken him this long to evade them. He may be captured"

"If they have him and we have her, we may be able to trade them off peacefully and be done with this"

"But that would involve telling the Grandmaster and knowing her true identity may not sit well with him" Smoke said

"It is a dangerous thing were dealing with here"

"I will go alone" Smoke said "Back to Arendelle and see what has happened. Then we can make our move" Cyrax nodded to him.

"He will have to know why you are leaving"

"It will be easy to convince them, since Sub-zero has not returned"

Then they both heard a furious tapping sound and turned to see Anna racing towards them dipping and dodging past other Lin Kuei members as she did.

"Cyrax! Smoke!" she shouted only a few inches from them.

"Anna" they both grunted, despite her dangerous situation she returned to her bright positive self once they promised to help her and had adapted to her dilemma very easily "What is it?"

"How's the…" she paused and looked around. She then leaned in "the escape plan?" she whispered

"You shouldn't mention such things" Smoke said as he put a hand on her shoulder "There could be ears anywhere" he looked around

"Alright" she nodded "Gotcha" a brief silence took them "But how is it coming?"

They both rolled their eyes "I will go back to see what it's like at your home. From there-"

"You're going back!" she shouted. This certainly attracted the attention of the other Lin Kuei members so Smoke decided to wait until they looked away to talk

"Yes" he grunted "we will decide what we can do and the best way to do it"

Anna nodded and then looked at him deeply "Will you hurt anyone else?"

Smoke looked her over curiously "If I must-"

"No one" she scolded

"I-"he stopped as she continued to stare at him. "I won't hurt anyone unless its life or death but I will kill no one" he paused "I promise"

Anna smiled at him "Tell me how Elsa, Kristoff and Sven are" she sniffled

"I will"

She looked into his eyes and then up to his hair "And when you get back I get to braid your hair"

Cyrax cracked a smile and Smoke chuckled under his mask "I think that is too much" he looked back to Cyrax and they nodded to each other. He looked back to her and she smiled at him. Nodding to her he walked away to return to Arendelle. He left Anna and Cyrax alone.

"Soo…" she said but hoping to start a conversation but he said nothing "you're not going with him?"

"I will stay here, to protect you" he told. In the distance he could see Sektor watching them. "Smoke can take care of himself"

"But that's what you said about Sub-zero and he's still not back yet and-"she stopped as Cyrax scolded her with his eyes "I'm sure he'll be fine" she stated. "And thank out for all this… you made me feel better" Cyrax just nodded and then Anna had an epiphany and her eyes lit up "Hey maybe when this is all done you, Smoke and maybe even Sub-zero could come back to Arendelle!"

"What? N-"

"You can become our personal bodyguards! You made short work of our other guards and I'm sure Elsa would pardon you if you get me home"

"Anna-"

"And maybe if Sub-zero's like you say he is he and my sister can.." she paused and looked around "get married"

"Anna stop!" he said raised his voice and she shuddered "That can't happen"

"Why not?"

"The Lin Kuei oaths are for life. To leave is a great offense punishable by death"

Anna froze as he she spoke "Does that mean if I leave you'll.."

"No. You have not been formally inducted into the Lin Kuei" she looked up to him hopefully "There's still time" she smiled.

Back in the mountains Sub-zero and Elsa followed Olaf to the north mountain. Olaf skipped happily along as Elsa and the reserved Sub-zero followed.

Elsa looked back to him "You're awfully quite" He glanced at her and said nothing. "It won't be long" she said turning her head forward "Were almost there"

"Say your goodbyes. Then we must go" Elsa looked to the ground in disappointment as he kept bringing that up. She really hoped for a more pleasant conversation between them.

Olaf rounded the corner before them.

"Are your clothes ice?" she shot up. He looked at her curiously "My dress is made of ice. I made it myself" she told "Are yours?"

"No. It is not"

"Do you get to choose your clothes?" An oddly specific question but if she could why not him? It also just so happens to be that she's in the company of someone in the Lin Kuei who wore his for a purpose.

Sub-zero felt the garbs across his chest "It was my brothers, as is the name Sub-zero" he admitted solemnly.

"Your brother?" Elsa questioned. He had mentioned very little of him when she asked, all she knew was that he other who controlled ice and there was something very "off about him" as she put it. But of course just as she loved Anna surely these two brothers naturally loved each other. "Where is he now?"

"Where all men like him go" Sub-zero replied without truly giving an answer.

"Oh hey there!" Olaf's voice echoed and was responded with a loud roar. Elsa and Sub-zero looked to each other and then sprinted forward. They rounded the corner and that's when they saw it.

A larger snowman was towering above Olaf not angry or frightening but friendly towards him

"Hey guys look who's here!" Olaf said. Marshmallow now looked up to see Elsa. He smiled at her and she smiled back but when he turned his head to see someone new looking at him with wide eyes, his squinted in response. He roared as spikes protruded from his body and he raced towards him. Sub-zero planted his feet in the ground and tensed up as Marshmallow stampeded for him. Right as he stomped in front of him and the two would clash Elsa threw herself between them.

"No stop!" she cried and the giant snowman did and she affectionately hugged his chin. "It's ok, he's a friend" she said although Sub-zero's tense demeanor did not help to sooth his as much as her voice. But once she nodded towards him he lowered his guard. "Marshmallow this is Sub-zero" she said as she let him go "I want to show him our home, okay?" the large snowman nodded to her and huffed at him. She walked past him and waved for Sub-zero to do the same which he did but not without breaking eye contact with Marshmallow. When he did break eye contact he saw Elsa and Olaf staring at something.

Their eyes were open in pure wonder and happiness, reminiscent of when they first saw it. Sub-zero looked from them and to what they were staring at and his eyes opened in curiosity.

There was a crystal stairway leading across the gap and it lead up to something grander. Standing side by side with the mountain was a large frozen palace with a solitary peak. The light shined on it and it reflected out across the land.

"What is this?" Sub-zero asked astonished

"This was my home once" Elsa smiled "Come on. Let's go look" she urged looking at him

Olaf skipped forward as Elsa walked behind up and over the stairs. Sub-zero faltered at first seeing if it was stable before walking across himself.

Marshmallow stayed at the bottom of the stairs watching them ascend it. Then he heard a rustling from behind. He turned his massive head and body to see the trees rustling and the sound of feet against the ground. He lifted up his large foot and trudged forward to investigate.

Elsa, Olaf and Sub-zero walked up to the door of the castle. Elsa raised her hand and felt the door. She tingled at the initial contact and looked down to Olaf.

"You don't have to knock" he said.

"No. I don't" she smiled. Then she raised her other hand and pushed the doors open revealing the interior of the castle. Olaf giddily skidded in while she walked in but realized she was doing it alone. She looked back to see Sub-zero standing in the doorway looking up at the height of the castle.

"Sub-zero" she said and he turned to her "You can come in" He did not respond initially. He just kept staring at her. "Sub-zero?"

He shook his head "Yes. Of course" his deep voice said. Elsa smiled and walked further into the castle leaving him at the door. He looked at the castle outside again and then peered inside seeing Elsa ascend stairs. He looked outside again and then inside. He finally raised his foot, brought it forward and planted it into the castle. His other foot followed and his footsteps echoed through the castle as he ventured further into it. In the distance he could hear Olaf's giggling.

He himself looked around at the ice walls, beams, fountain, and stairs, just everything. Everything was ice. Now he understood why she asked about fixing. Her bond with her sister, her whole life, now it all made sense. And creating something could be just as beautiful. This is when he thought more about the woman he followed here and had to bring back.

She created. He destroyed.

Was the Lin Kuei really right to take her?

He looked around some more before he ascended the stairs he saw Elsa do before. They spiraled around until he came to another room.

A bright light shined into his eyes and he put his hand up to block it. Blinking he lowered his hand to find out it was the sun shining through a window. And standing in the sun's image was Elsa.

She turned around to see him and she was… beautiful. She was radiant with confidence, happiness and it emitted off her. This was all her, this was her home and her moment. She smiled at him and he advanced towards her

"So what do you think?" she asked him happily

"Of all this?"

"It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked looking out through the window

"Yes…beautiful" he said fixated on her. She smiled at him and then walked out to the balcony. He soon followed.

Taking his stand next to her they looked out into the land together. Everything was so peaceful and serene that they hadn't notice Marshmallow was gone or where he went… or who he encountered.

"I suppose this is the last time you'll be here?" Sub-zero said taking away from the tranquility of the moment.

Happiness was replaced with worry on Elsa's face. "…Yeah.." she looked down at her feet

"I wish there was another way…" She looked up to him "I really do"

A small smile formed on her face "Thank you" she whispered. He nodded to her. She looked out to view the landscape but looked to him out of the corner of her eye "If I uh.." she stammered "If I did get to stay.. what would you-"she caught herself "the rest of you do?"

"Whatever we were told" he exhaled a breathe

"So you really have to go back?" she asked

"I have no choice" he said "I have nowhere else to go"

"Why don't you go back home?"

"It's not like I have a home to go back to, I never really belonged anywhere"

Elsa's eyes widened. She knew exactly what he was feeling.

"You can belong here" she said to him

"Could I?" he asked seriously and full of doubt

She paused "I know what it's like to feel rejected.. out of place" she told him "But I made my home here where I belong" she paused as she looked at him.

"You would allow me to stay here? In your home?" she nodded "After all I've done and tried to do?"

"Yes" she said confidently "because you've also tried to make things right" he lowered his gaze from her "Whatever the others are like your different from them, I know it" she proclaimed.

Was he really?

He looked back up to her and their eyes locked onto each other. His scarred eye and her wide ones. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes, heart and soul.

Sub-zero brought a right hand up to cup Elsa's face and she did not flinch at his touch nor squirm like so many others that were beneath it.

Then she realized something "I've never seen you without your mask" she said "Does it come off?"

Without saying a word he retracted his right hand to his face and grabbed the mask. His large hand covered his mask as he took a hold of it. He was about to take it off and Elsa would see his face for the first time.

Then suddenly they heard a loud thunderous wail echoed from the forest. They looked out in shock and then to each other. Before another thought crossed threw their minds they raced down from the castle, down the stairway and into the forest.

Sub-zero sprinted as Elsa lifted her dress and ran with him. They rushed past trees and bushes as the shrieks and wails of pain got louder. The trees now started to be cut down, collapsed or destroyed all together. They reached a clearing an in it they saw Marshmallow collapsed on the ground with only one leg.

Elsa and Olaf rushed to his side to comfort him. Sub-zero did the same but right as he did Marshmallow raised a hand and swung at him. He ducked to dodge and then slid back on his ice as another fist came down. Elsa got up to him again to restrain him and sit him down.

"Easy,easy it's alright" she cooed to him as he laid back and grunted. Elsa looked back to him "What happened?" He remained fixated on Sub-zero in anger.

Sub-zero didn't answer her. He looked from her to the surrounding forest. He then looked back to her.

"Stay here" he told her before walking off. Worried Elsa watched him go until he disappeared into the trees. She then continued to tending to Marshmallow. She helped him up and he hobbled off through the trees. He turned to her and grunted for her to come with him; to keep her safe.

"I need to wait for Sub-zero" she said "Don't worry about me. Go on" she waved him off. She did let Olaf go with him to keep him company. She watched them leave and now she was all alone. Marshmallow and Olaf were gone, Sub-zero was out in the woods but he wasn't alone. Whatever happened, whoever did that to Marshmallow it still out there.

She liked to think she could handle herself but she was all alone. And she didn't know what was out there. She nervously turned and circled around in the clearing.

Then she heard footsteps behind her and she let out a relieved sigh. "Sub-zero" she let out before turning "What happen-"she stopped. Standing before her was someone who looked like Sub-zero, had the same body type and even similar garbs and armor but there was one big difference. He was completely black.


	6. Mortal Kombat

Kristoff raced on top of Sven across the kingdom. He had left the palace under someone else's watch as he left (the person standing to his right as Elsa left. No reason specifically just because they were so close). Just like Elsa he had questions he wanted answered and he knew exactly where to go to find them. Home.

He was greeted with a thunderous and boisterous applause from his troll family when he returned. They hugged him, kissed his cheeks and offered to wash his clothes. But he had no time for all that.

"Yeah, it's great to see all of you; sorry I don't visit as often" he smiled as he knelt down "But I have something important to deal with. Is Grand Pabbie here?"

Right on cue the old troll rolled up to him.

"Kristoff, what has happened?"

He told them all what happened to Anna, what he knew of the Lin Kuei and with special malice Sub-zero.

"I have to know more about this guy; about how he operates" he said "Can you help me?"

"If you had brought him here yes but.." the old trolls face dropped "without him I can tell you nothing"

Kristoff smirked at his comment and pulled from his pocket a frozen shackle, one that was used specifically to restrain Sub-zero in the dungeon that he broke himself free with his ice powers. "How about this?"

Grand Pabbie waddled forward to touch it himself "The powers on it have faded, but it may be enough"

He waved his hands in the air as a trickle of light flowed from the shackle into the air behind his hand and opened into an image; Sub-zero's past.

There were two young boys being taken away from a village ablaze in fire.

"He was taken at a young age, abducted" he told as everyone else watched "He was forced to train, to fight" he said as the two young boys were placed before a man in red garbs.

"Oh that's horrible" some of the others commented and some of the parents held their little ones close.

"Horrible?" Kristoff thought. He had a rough start in life and yet he didn't go around snatching up people's true love. Sub-zero would receive no sympathy from him.

"He grew" Grand Pabbie paused "and learned to control his powers" Grand pabbie continued as an image of not one but two men appeared both shooting ice. "He's fought in many battles" he told as Sub-zero engaged in kombat with a yellow ninja. "He did many things for this organization" he said as an image of a battle ready Sub-zero appeared along with others that Kristoff identified as Smoke, Cyrax and Sektor. "But these actions have weighed heavily on his mind" he said as the other three disappeared leaving Sub-zero on his knees and looking broken "Some more than others". Flashes of metal men appeared around him before being replaced by something else entirely. A man now stood over Sub-zero as he knelt. He looked just like him but he wore all black and was ready for battle.

The image shriveled away into nothing and disappeared.

"There is nothing more I can say" he sighed.

"I think that's enough, thank you" Kristoff nodded "I have to go now. Stay safe, I'll come back..if I can" he muttered that last part. They bid him farewell as he rode back to Arendelle on Sven to actually take care of the kingdom until Elsa came back.

Cyrax blocked a punch from Sektor. He snapped his leg forward and kicked him in the shin and pushed him back.

The two grunted and starred each other down. Then Cyrax was distracted by something; a furious clapping sound. Puzzled he turned his head over to see Anna sitting by watching them spar. She had a wide smile on her face and she was clapping madly.

"Yeah. Whoo! Go Cyrax!" she cheered

Cyrax was so confused by her that he didn't see Sektor approach and could not block the fist to his face.

"Ooohh" Anna cringed as he was hit.

Cyrax fell to the ground and Sektor was right on top of him. He prepared for a punch or kick but instead was grabbed by his collar.

"She seems to interested in your training" he stated "Has she shown you her powers?"

Cyrax let everything sink in for a moment "No" he said sternly

Sektor did nothing but give a smug disappointed grin. Then he raised his arm to strike him but Cyrax lifted his leg to kick him off and away. Sektor flew across the room but rolled from his back and was back on his feet while Cyrax got up.

"Enough!" he called as he put a hand up, stopping a charging Sektor "Were done"

Sektor went into a neutral position, looked Cyrax over before glancing at Anna and then finally leaving. Cyrax watched him go as Anna skipped over to him.

"Whoo! You won!" she cheered even though she was now right next to him. "Are you hurt?" she asked as he looked down at her in disapproval. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"You shouldn't draw attention to yourself like that" he said

"What-why?"

"Things are already dangerous for you enough as it is. No need to enhance those tensions" he told with a finger pointed at her

"But I-"he held a hand up to stop her and it did. She sucked her lips into her mouth and he let out a relieved sigh "When do you think Smoke will be back?" she asked and Cyrax let out a defeated sigh.

"Soon" he eventually answered

"How soon is soon?"

"Soon enough. Now.." he turned his vision from hers "I have to go train". A buzz saw suddenly snapped from his wrist and he walked forward towards a practice dummy. Anna watched him for a while, silently observing the whole scenario but then her mind began to wander and her feet went with it.

She walked away from the training grounds, through hallways and up and down stairs. So many that she had no idea where she was now. Admittedly she wasn't an expert at the Lin Kuei temple layout but she knew her way around decently enough with Smoke or Cyrax, but now she was completely lost. She past hallway after hallway, staircase after staircase and room after room. Sometimes she would turn and sometimes she wouldn't. Now the hallway had gotten dark and she couldn't see in front of her. She became unnerved by her surroundings and it showed. Her shoulders and head sank and for good reason. Her new found company made it a habit to go around unnoticed and if they could travel through the kingdom without being seen they could do the same in their own home. But then she saw something; a light at the end of the tunnel which she would obviously walk towards to escape the darkness.

She stepped into the light and found a room she hadn't been in before. There was a table, no an operating board in the middle of the room with something shiny laying on it. In fact all around there were bright shiny objects. They shined as light reflected off it. She walked forward to inspect the thing on the table. It looked like armor built for a large man; perfect for the new company she kept. But the strange part was there was no entry point for it. How did someone get this armor on?

"Hello!" She tapped the foot and surprisingly it wasn't hollow but instead dense. Someone was inside. "Oh sorry" she brought her hand to her face "I didn't know anyone was in there" she chuckled nervously

Nothing responded.

"Hello?" she tapped again.

Still nothing responded.

Seeing nothing happening she looked around at what else was in the room. Bright, colorful pieces of armor was laid out all over the room. It was strange though, for armor it seemed completely filled already. She was truly curious how they intended to get someone to where this. But her mind was distracted by something else; a shelf of names and pieces of armor under it.

She saw Sektor's and under it was a red piece of armor that was clearly for him and next to him was one for Smoke, Sub-zero and Cyrax. Cyrax's was yellow and had a round head with a buzz saw built into it. Anna became giddy as she was sure this would excite him even if he'd have a hard time getting into it. But she froze when she saw something else; a piece of armor with her name above it. Shocked by these revelations she sunk back through the tunnel that brought her there to get back to Cyrax.

She found him where she left him. He was training on a practice dummy although by the looks of things he'd been through quite a few with his buzz saw and nets since she'd been gone. He cut one down the middle and turned his head back to see her standing there watching him.

"Have you been there the whole time?" he asked

"Nope" she shook her head. He turned around fully now

"Where did you go?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes "Exploring" she smiled. He knew that couldn't be a good thing.

"What did you find?" he asked

"Nothing." She said before leaning forward "It's a surprise" she added in a whisper. She covered her mouth and could barley contain giggles.

He walked up to her and towered over her "Anna. What did you find" he spoke sternly as if to a child.

Anna looked him over defensively "Are you going to hurt me?"

"Anna" he scolded

"Okay okay" she gave in "I think they're going to give you new armor" she giggled happily for him

"What?" he let out confused

"Isn't it great! They're giving you new armor. There's also one for Smoke, Sub-zero and even Sektor" she told him happily but the more she did the more he knew of what she was talking about and the more worried it made him. "They're even making one for me! I mean I don't fight and I'd never use it but it's a nice thought after all I've been throu-"

"Anna" he snapped and she stopped. "Forget what you saw" he said after placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What wh-"

"Just do it" he told but she appeared curious and he knew she wouldn't leave it alone until she got an answer "It's just..." he paused realizing he needed something to tell her. Anything but the truth "you won't be getting your armor because you'll be home by then"

"Ohhh" Anna let out "Can you give it to me then?"

"No" he responded "Now stay here while I train"

Anna nodded and watched attentively as he walked up to a new dummy and raised his buzz saw.

"You know-" she said and he stopped his swing "I've been here for a while and I still don't know what the Lin Kuei does-well besides kidnap people" he turned back to her "What do you do?"

He took a brief moment to respond "Whatever I must" he said.

"But what's that?"

Cyrax looked her over "Nothing you'd be comfortable with hearing"

Anna's enthusiasm faltered from his serious answer "Do you enjoy it?"

He looked her over "I do what I have to"

"What about doing what you like? What about finding true love?"

"What about it?"

Anna looked him over "Well you know I bet you'd be really good at all kinds of other things if you tried"

A strange thing to say but it was said with good intentions. Cyrax smiled at her "Thank you Anna"

Sub-zero walked through the forest, his feet leaving his imprint in the snow as he walked. He was on full alert as he hunted for whatever defeated Marshmallow. He walked through the snow and his eyes scanned the area but it was his ears that caught his attention. A woman who he naturally assumed to be Elsa let out a blood curdling scream. He snapped around and looked back through the trees to where he left her.

"Elsa" he muttered. He then sprinted back to her following the way he went. The snow and trees formed a blur as he ran; only the ice palace got larger as he grew nearer as did the sounds of a struggle.

He heard Elsa shriek and the earth being uprooted as well as Olaf's voice; he had likely come back. He heard a man's grunt as well. It was a deep commanding voice.

He sprinted through the trees and busted into the clearing where he left her and that's when he saw it. Elsa was taking cover behind a fallen tree, she was completely petrified. Olaf was in front of the tree and ran towards the man. He grabbed a hold of his black leg but the assailant simply swung his leg up and Olaf flung off splitting apart as he did. The man watched him go, letting out a satisfied "Hmph" as he did. He turned back to Elsa cowering behind the tree and advanced slowly.

Elsa's eyes glanced over and she did a double take when she noticed Sub-zero.

"Sub-zero!" she yelled. The man grunted to a halt and slowly turned his head over to Sub-zero who's eyes widened when they say who this was, however the same surprise was not shared by the other.

"Bi Han?" he gasped as he advanced, his guard dropped. Elsa watched with wide eyes through the tree branch as Sub-zero approached her assailant. She didn't know how but knew these two had history.

"Sub-zero" he said as Sub-zero advanced "Tundra" he came forward "Kuai Liang" Noob spoke when he stopped before him. Elsa raised an eyebrow.

"How did you get here?" Sub-zero asked in both shock and urgency.

"The Lin Kuei are not the only stealthful ones" he responded.

"What are you doing here?" Noob glanced over at Elsa and Sub-zero's eyes followed. She cringed when Noob's pupil less eyes locked on her. "Elsa?" he questioned "But wh-"

"Her name and titles do not interest me" he said turning back to Sub-zero "but she has become a point of interest for the Lin Kuei or else you would not be here and by extension she has become a point of interest for the Netherealm which is why I am here" he told sternly.

Sub-zero despite expecting an answer like it, it still shook him as if he didn't. He glanced over to Elsa and then back to Noob. Elsa herself was getting curious so she stepped out from behind the tree. Just as she did Sub-zero raised a hand to stop her which it did. He focused back on Noob.

"Her sister was abducted wrongfully by the Lin Kuei" he told "I must reuni-"

"As were the both of us" he cut him off "Right, wrong, it makes no difference" he shook his head

"She is the only one that can save her sister. If you take her, her sister will die"

"It is no concern to me" Noob shook his head again "I will do what I must"

Sub-zero was shocked "You can't mean that" he blurted out. But he knew he was wrong.

"But you know I do" Noob said "better than anyone else.. because your my brother"

Elsa's jaw dropped and her eyes opened. So this was Sub-zero's older brother. She knew he wasn't in the Lin Kuei anymore so his reason for attacking her was likely for a different reason; although it did explain how different he was from his brother. But even with that difference he certainly couldn't be all bad. Certain of this she now stepped out from behind the tree exposing herself to them.

They both turned their heads to her.

Sub-zero raised an arm "Elsa sto-"but Noob raised his own arm which silenced him.

She stopped advancing now but put on a weak yet curious smile.

"Tundra?" she squeaked at him.

All eyes went to him "My name before Sub-zero"

"Kuai Liang?"

"My real name" she smiled at him.

"I like it. It's a good name" he said nothing. He was more concerned with Noob's curious gaze on him. He knew what his brother was thinking of him, of them.

Elsa turned her attention to Noob.

"You're his brother?" she asked. He remained silent. Sub-zero however raised his voice in urgency.

"Elsa, you have to leave, it's not-"Sub-zero was cut off.

"It's alright" she put her hands up "I know what's happening" she admitted

"Do you?" Sub-zero asked

"Of course I do" Elsa said "He's here on orders to take me just like you were; only he's from a different place but he feels bad that this put you in harm's way. So he fought Marshmallow so you'd get distracted and run off leaving me alone. But now he feels bad because he has no choice but to deal with you" Elsa explained emotionally. She knew that no matter how much brothers fought they must truly care for each other deep down and would never want to hurt each other. However the stern, emotionless reactions she got seemed to imply otherwise "Isn't that it?"

Neither of them responded but Noob marched for her.

"Bi han, No!" Sub-zero exclaimed as he grabbed his right shoulder with his right hand. Noob stopped dead in his tracks. Everything was silent and the chilly wind passed through them. Slowly he turned his head back to his brother.

Elsa couldn't see beneath his mask but she was sure he was smirking.

"Sub-"she spoke but Noob let out a wail as he flung his arm back and cracked Sub-zero across the face. Elsa put her hands over her mouth, shocked at the sudden act of violence and Sub-zero faltered back but Noob did not relent. He punched him back, then again and again. Then he kicked him in the chest and it sent him onto the ground and onto his back. "Stop! Please!" Elsa pleaded. Noob glanced back at her for a moment and in that moment Sub-zero sprang up and punched Noob back then he threw another punch but Noob put up his own hand to catch his fist. Then in the blink of an eye something happened that Elsa couldn't describe. As Noob caught his fist, out of him sprang another Noob. It tackled Sub-zero to the ground as the real Noob's shadow disappeared. The shadow itself disappeared as Noob raised his boot over his brother's head. Coming to Sub-zero slid back just as Noob's foot landed where his head would have been. He then got up and he engaged his brother in kombat and Elsa realized something in the way they fought.

This wasn't two brothers play fighting; this was two men fighting for survival. The prize...her.

"Stop please!" she pleaded to them again as they continued to duel. Sub-zero punched Noob across the face "This isn't right!" she yelled. Noob kicked him in the face. "Stop!" Sub-zero created an ice sword and swung it at Noob who barely managed to dodge swipes and jabs to his head and torso. Sub-zero jabbed forward but Noob trapped his arm in-between his own arm and his torso. He swung his head forward and head-butted Sub-zero once, then twice and a third time which dazed him. He released his arm and swung his leg to kick him but Sub-zero slid back on ice under his feet he created. Then once he was far enough he swung his arms forward and shot an ice ball at him.

Noob knowing the powers he once used knew how to counter it, with his new ones. In the blink of an eye a portal appeared beneath him and he was swallowed in it as the ice ball flew over him. Then he appeared behind Sub-zero and they were propelled into the air but when they landed they landed with all the force on Sub-zero.

Noob got up as Sub-zero lay on the ground. Elsa stood in horror, fear and worry not only for herself but for him.

"Pathetic" Noob spoke "You disgrace the name Sub-zero" he kicked him as he was down.

"No!" Elsa shouted and Noob snapped his head over to her

"I almost forgot about you"

"He's your brother, you can't mean all that, you can't do this!"

"Brother?" he let out as if confused by the word "We share blood, we are not brothers"

Elsa was overcome with sadness and disgust "But you must love-"

"I do not love him" Elsa was speechless. Noob keeping his eyes on her walked towards her.

"Noob Saibot!" a voice screamed from behind him. Noob turned to see Sub-zero standing up behind him. He did not call him Bi han; he called him by his new name. Without another word to be said he shot another ice ball at Noob only this one he didn't dodge. It froze his legs and arms in place but his face was vulnerable. Sub-zero raced forward and punched him in his defenseless face but he did not stop there. He relentlessly and mercilessly beat his face in with his fists. Fist after fist, blow after blow he did not falter.

He raised his hand to hit him again but suddenly Noob burst from the ice and punched him across the face, he followed it with two more hits each one causing Sub-zero to falter back. Then suddenly from beneath him a black portal opened and a black arm appeared and pulled Sub-zero into it.

The portal closed and Elsa covered her mouth to subvert a shriek. She heard furious sounds of a beating all around as Noon let out a confident chuckle. Then the portal appeared before noon and a beaten Sub-zero was thrown out. Noob looked down at him and kicked him in the face. Sub-zero rolled away but soon rose to his knees as Noob advanced. His raised his fist and swung it down. But Sub-zero created a doppelganger and Noob hit that instead; freezing himself as Sub-zero escaped. Sub-zero slid back and shot a beam of I've above Noob, creating a chunk of ice. Noob burst from the ice and moved before the ice could hit him. Then from him his shadow charged at sun zero. But he moved out of the way and kicked the shadow in the face, dispersing it.

Then the two advanced on each other. Noob swung his leg at him but Sub-zero blocked, then he threw a punch but Noob ducked. When Noob kicked his feet out from under him Sub-zero kicked him in the gut before he could hit him again. He was up again and their battle continued. They blocked, maneuvered, countered each other using all their years of training, experience and even powers against each other. All Elsa could do was watch.

Sub-zero hit him in the face with an open palm. Noob reacted with a kick to his side. Sub-zero did a kick of his own to Noobs knee, making him kneel on the ground. Then he firmed a giant and jagged icicle in his hands. He slammed the pointed end down at Noob who rolled out of the way as it pierced the ground. Sub-zero picked it up and re positioned it in his hands as if it was a club. Noob charged him and he swung it, cracking him in the face and it shattered as he stumbled away. He raised his arm to stroke him but Noob quickly grabbed his arm and held it up with one arm and with his other he started to pound into sub zeros rips. He let out painful cries with each blow. Then Noob grabbed him and hurled him over his shoulder. Sub-zero got to his feet just as Noob kicked him in the face and then followed with a punch to the jaw.

Before Sub-zero could react he felt his arms grabbed and restrained from behind. Noob's shadow had him in his grasps. Noob himself charged forward hitting Sub-zero as he did. Like his brother before him he did not relent either. His clone held him in place he unleashed his rage onto him. He kicked him in the stomach and he threw up. He brought his other leg forward and kicked his head up. Then he punched him.

Elsa watched this battle turn into a slaughter and she realized that is she was going to stay there and watch Sub-zero would lose, die even as she most likely would and Anna would never return. She had to do something.

She advanced towards them in her heels as Noob was too preoccupied with beating Sub-zero to do anything. She raised her hands as his back remained to her then she snapped her fingers and ice shot from them.

It landed on the ground and shot up into spikes that shot out towards him. Noob heard the crackling of ice and turned around at the last second but it was already too late.

"No!" he shouted as the ice came at him and pierced his right shoulder. Elsa winced at her sudden actions. Noob pulled his shoulder from the ice but he could not go on. His shadow disappeared as Sub-zero stood in a daze and bloody confusion. As his senses came to he saw Noob Saibot standing before him with a wound and he knew this was his chance. He formed an ice sword in his hand and ran it through Noob Saibot's stomach.

Noob flinched and grunted and he gripped Sub-zero's shoulders as it happened. Then his grip faded and he fell back onto the ground. Sub-zero looked down at him.

"Bi han?" he whispered as he stretched his arm out to touch him but his body disappeared into a black portal which closed soon after.

Sub-zero looked at the now black sword and threw it away in anger and it shattered on the ground. He fell to his knees and let out a blood curdling scream that echoed throughout the mountains of Arendelle.

Elsa watched him as he lay there now stoic and unmoving but she could tell he was at war with himself inside. She could tell because although he was better at hiding his emotions than she was she knew what it was like to stab your sibling. She walked towards him and assessed the physical damage. The garbs were torn, the mask was cracked and he had bruises and cuts all over his face and body. He was of course bleeding but the black blood that stained his hands was not his own.

"Sub-zero" she called softly as he looked out into the distance "Kuai Liang?" she advanced behind him "I'm sorry that had to happen" she apologized; her voice full of agony and emotion "That was probably hard on you" he remained silent. "But you have to understand, he was going to going to hurt me. He was going to hurt you. He was-"

"He wasn't your brother" he snapped and Elsa flinched back. Then he let out a groan and fell to the ground.

"Sub-zero!" she knelt down and shook him "Sub-zero!" she shook him. "Kuai Liang?!" He was unresponsive. She looked around and there was no one to be seen. The wind howled as they lay on the stained snow.

They were all alone and he was hurt.

In the stories true love would conquer all, was this it?

Looking around and seeing no sign of help Elsa realized his life was in her hands. Too much was depending on his survival; Anna's safe return, Arendelle's security… her happiness?

She picked him up and hoisted him over her shoulder, letting out a grunt as he was much bigger and heavier than she was. His arm hung over her back and she locked his hand in with hers.

"You're going to be fine" she whispered "I won't leave you; I'll take care of you, I promise"

And slowly she marched back home.

It felt like forever but it was only a few brutal hours that past until she reached home. She passed through the mountains, forests and snow. There was no sign of Olaf or Marshmallow and luckily of any animals on their trail. The sun had started to set and night was approaching. She made it to the top of the hill and saw the castle. She trekked forward with the wounded Sub-zero still around her body and he became heavier with each step although he seemed lighter with the destination in sight. She marched towards the gate and could hear the guards from the inside "The Queen has returned!" they all spoke "The Queen is injured" some spoke. The doors busted open and the servants and guards raced towards her.

"Please Sub-zero needs help!" she shouted as the servants rushed to her.

She said nothing else as the servants grabbed him to take him away but their hands remained locked and did so until his hand slid from hers as they carried him off. She watched him go with them unwillingly but too weak to refuse. A voice soon snapped her out of her trance.

"Elsa" she turned to see Kristoff and said his name "Are you alright?! What happened?! Did he hurt you?"

"No no he… he saved me"

"Saved you?" Kristoff questioned. This certainly didn't seem like the Sub-zero he knew "From what?"

Elsa opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't find the words to say "Brother"

Back in the Netherrealm Noob sat on a rock before a river of lava. Standing behind him was Quan Chi who using magic had healed his wounds. They were not fatal and perhaps only Sub-zero would know of that. Quan chi lowered his arms and ended his chant and the healing was done. Noob Saibot got up and marched away.

"Where are you going?"

"To finish what I have started" Noob repsonded without turning his back to him

"Unlikely in the same manner as before" Quan chi said and Noob did not respond "There are other ways to acquire what we need" he smirked.

Noob turned to him "How?" Quan chi waved his arm to reveal his plan to Noob. When he did so a image appeared of the princess of Arendelle Anna.

In Arendelle Elsa told Kristoff whatever she could of her encounter with Noob Saibot all the while he seemed frantic to tell her something too.

"His brother attacked you?" he asked and walked frantically together

"Yes" she responded quickly.

"So they are all the same" he concluded

"What-no Sub-zero-"she caught herself "Kuai Liang is different"

"Kuai Liang?"

"His real name"

"He's deceitful"

"He saved my life. He will remain here until he's better and then we will go to the Lin Kuei and get Anna back" she said as they stopped before the closed throne room doors and Elsa put her hands on the knob.

"And what if they say no?" he asked

She froze "I don't know" she said. She then began to open the doors.

"Elsa wait!" Kristoff shouted but it was too late the doors were open and she became wide eyed as many wide eyed faces of people crowded into her throne room looked at her.

"I meant to tell you the ambassadors are here" he muttered.

Many of then looked pleasantly familiar and looked at her happily. Some other however she looked at with distaste such as the Duke of Weselton who looked at her with hopeful eyes but that was not the worst part.

The worst part was the first person she saw when she opened the doors and the first to break the silence.

"Greetings your majesty" Prince Hans of the Southern Isles greeted with a sly smile. Everyone was so fixated on her and him and the tension between them that no one bothered to mention the smell of smoke in the air.


	7. The Konfrontation

Sub-zero stood outside the closed throne room doors alone. He could hear some commotion from inside from many different voices with many different accents. He had new garments now since his old ones were worn down. His mask was gone as well as his hood revealing his face and the scar that went down his face, his sleeves and armor were off to reveal is arms. His chest was also partially visible by the garbs which now went up from his waist, over his shoulders and down his back. It all clung to his body tightly. He waited patiently outside of the throne room alone but he would not be so for much longer as the sound on heels against the floor echoed in the silent hallway. He turned to see Elsa approaching him with a smile.

"Your grace" he said upon seeing her.

"Su- Kuai Liang" she corrected and almost giggled as she did. "How are you feeling?" she asked

He looked himself over "Fine" he responded blandly

"You look better" she said but he said nothing in return. Although she was the only one in the castle who thought it, it was nice to see him up and about again; it seemed so strange for a man so strong to appear so vulnerable. "I can see your face now"she said happily. A small smile flashed on his face "You have black hair" she pointed out. What she thought to herself was that he was very handsome.

"I do" he said devoid of emotion. She felt the need to cheer him up in any way she could think. Conversation came to mind.

"You know when I changed my clothes into this" she motioned to her ice dress "I felt better, complete, at peace, how do you feel?" she asked.

He lowered his eyes "Exposed".

Her smile faltering for a second before she looked at his face. "You've healed very well" she said "I'm glad. It's nice to see your face" he remained silent "You know we used some of Anna's makeup to cover up some of the bruises but we couldn't get rid of that scar… how'd you get it?" He did not respond. She walked forward and stood next to him before the doors.

"They're talking about me in there" he said

"I know" she nodded "Can you hear what they're saying?"

"Some of it" he responded.

"What?" she asked looking at him concerned

"You'll find out soon enough"

"Probably the same things they said about me" she said and felt the need to give a reassuring smile but it did not faze him; she knew he was still in a great deal of pain. "Kuai Liang" she said his name "I know this is hard for you right now because of what happened back there" she nodded off to the mountains "But you can't let it consume you especially not right now. These men need to know you're a good man and you're not like your-"she stopped suddenly as he looked at her "I hurt Anna twice in my life" she admitted "But I'll do anything for her and I want you to know if there's anything we can do to fix things with-"he put his arm up to stop her. Then he put it down.

"I never loved my brother" he admitted "A horrible truth but it is the truth. I bear the name and garbs for him. That's tribute enough" he said.

Deeply disturbed Elsa's eyes widened. With no way to respond to such a spiteful statement she looked to the doors and back to him "Are you ready?" she asked with a confident smile to reassure him. He nodded. She stepped before him and opened the doors to the throne room revealing all the ambassadors standing in it.

Kristoff was elsewhere in the castle; the blacksmiths shop specifically. He was sharpening his axe which was the very same one he used to fight off the Lin Kuei before. Sven was at his side as he sharpened it and the sparks flew. Sven nudged his arm.

"Yeah I know Sven" he said before looking towards the castle "They're in there with **him** now" Sven let out a grunt "Yes I still think- know he's a bad man" he grunted again "I know what Grand Pabbie told me but that doesn't excuse anything he's done" he said standing up and attaching the axe to his belt. Sven called to him again "I'm going back to make sure he doesn't try anything again".

"But he hasn't done anything bad since he's been released" he said speaking for Sven

"That doesn't mean he won't try anything" Kristoff responded. "Now stay out here tell me if you see, hear or-"he stopped suddenly. His nostrils inflamed as he sniffed the air "or smell anything" he muttered as he raced towards the castle. And he smelt was smoke and where there's smoke there is fire.

Smoke himself skidded silently across the castle roof. He stayed in the dark since night had fallen and he had not been seen by anyone. He headed for windows to peek in and see what was going on. He saw one that was ablaze with light and he raced for it but remained light on his feet. He stopped before it, clung to the shadows but peaked his head in. He saw hordes of people of all shaped and sizes in expensive clothes and uniforms. By the doors there was a woman with white hair walking in wearing a blue dress and walking beside her although in different clothes was his friend Sub-zero. What he wore now was the same thing he would wear whenever he was unmasked.

"Your majesty" the duke of Weselton exclaimed as he put himself between her and Hans "So grateful that you decided to invite us back here to resume trade discussions" he said shaking her hand furiously with both hands as he bowed. Elsa tugged her hand from his grip.

"Well I didn't call you here for that. We're her to discuss-"

"Ah of course!" he raised his arms "The abduction of your sister! Well don't you worry we'll find the culprit. Now" he brought his arms down and began rubbing his hand together as he looked around the room "where is the culprit? Where is the dark, greedy, treacherous-"his jaw dropped as he locked eyes on Sub-zero who towered over him and looked down with a raised eyebrow. "AH!" he shouted in fear and took cover behind his nearby bodyguards "There he is! That must be him! Why isn't he in chains!" he rambled and many of the others were put on edge from him.

"No, no, no" Elsa said defensively "This man is different. This man is Ku-"she stopped and looked to him and their eyes locked "This is Sub-zero" she told them.

"Sub-zero?" Hans finally spoke "Interesting name. One I'm sure you like" he said looking at Elsa and adding a "your majesty" as her eyes wandered towards Sub-zero.

"I was told of malicious deeds and horrible acts!" the Duke proclaimed from behind his guards "I was told of wicked and unnatural powers! What can this Sub-zero do?"

Elsa continued looking at Sub-zero with a great deal of concern in her eyes. She nodded to him and hoped he was not about to do what he showed her before. He nodded in return and forcefully flung his arms towards the floor and shot a blue beam from them which turned a small part of the floor to ice.

The guests exclaimed in shock and awe.

"Ah I knew it! Ice powers!" the duke shouted "A terrible, cold, wicked monster who…" he rolled his eyes up to see Elsa looking down at him. He let out a nervous chuckle.

"If the accused is here and free to do as he pleases, then why are we here?" Hans spoke up and some of the other ambassadors nodded. Elsa faltered for a moment, truthfully once she learned more about Sub-zero she was going to call this off but it was too late for that now.

"My sister was abducted by his people" Elsa told them "I called you all here to warn you of anything happening in your own countries"

"I think a letter would have sufficed" Hans said in what seemed to her like some way to undermine her authority "Calling us all here when there will be no consequence seems a little premature"

"Something you won't have to deal with" Elsa shot back which earned a few chuckles from the observers. Sub-zero remained silent.

"But the prince is right" the duke spoke up "This man is an accomplish, a criminal. I suggest we have a trial for his crimes"

"Whatever punishment and crimes he had committed will be dealt with by me" Elsa said

"Then why bother telling us?" Hans spoke up

"This man is a danger to us all!" the duke fumed

"He's not dangerous. He is trying to help us" Elsa responded.

"I thought you needed us to help you" Hans said trying to undermine and pressure the Queen and it was working. Sub-zero would have liked nothing more than to put him in his place but he didn't. He didn't because something else caught his attention.

Although he stood only a few feet from them Sub-zero was distracted from the conversation because he noticed something no one else did. He looked up to the windows to look out into the night and he saw something by the window. He saw it briefly as it turned into a cloud of smoke and drifted away. His jaw dropped and he frantically looked around at the many arguing diplomats. Most took Elsa's side but some others took Hans.

"Your grace" Sub-zero raised his voice and they all turned to look at him. He nodded to Elsa and she walked over to him concerned.

"What is it?" she asked "Are you alright?"

"They're back" he whispered. Elsa was overcome with shock and fear. She looked back to the many people in the room "What are we going to do?" she asked turning back to him.

"Let me leave the room, let me talk to them. Alone" he told. She nodded

"I'll come up with something". She turned back everyone else with a great deal of confidence even though she was faking it. "If it is a trial you want then I will give you one. I will tell you all I can of this matter" she spoke as Sub-zero turned for the door; something Hans took note of but he said nothing. Instead he slipped out of the room without anyone noticing as well.

Sub-zero walked through the halls of the castle. The moonlight through the windows lighted his way when the lights weren't lite. He slipped through the hallways keeping his wits about him; he could only guess why they had come back and he wasn't sure how many there were. He could not let them hurt her or anyone else.

He heard another set of light footsteps around the corner and he followed the sound. He rounded the corner to see a man he recognized very well. He wore gray and had his long hair exposed.

"Smoke!" Sub-zero called. He turned around to see his friend.

"Sub-zero" he said as the two ran towards each other. They stopped before each other and swung their right arms forward to grip each other's hands.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you" Smoke said "You said you were going to cover our escape and yet you were captured"

"Indeed" he nodded

Smoked looked at him curiously as he looked him over "You must have been here too long. Your beginning to smell like a woman" Sub-zero sighed and he did not say he wore Anna's makeup or her perfume.

"Smoke. We have made a terrible mistake" he gravely stated

"I know" he nodded in agreement. "The girl we took, that should never have happened"

"Anna?" Smoke nodded

"She is safe. Back at the temple with Cyrax. But if it wasn't her we were after then it must have been her sister Elsa"

"She's told you about her?" Smoked nodded

"Yes. Can she really control-"

"Yes"

"Well… what are we going to do about this?"

"We have to bring Anna back. The only solution I see is to have Elsa take her place in the Lin Kuei and return Anna here to her home"

"That is our intention as well. I fear the longer she stays there the more at risk she is"

"It's not just from the Lin Kuei Smoke"

"Hm?"

"My brother wants Elsa as well" he said ominously " I don't know why but the only way to protect her is to keep her with us"

"So the Netherrealm has stakes in this as well? That makes things even more complicated.." he pondered "But it changes nothing we must bring Anna back" he declared with unquestionable resolve.

"How?" the two of them pondered for a moment. Then Sub-zero had an idea. "If we bring her back and tell the Grandmaster the Netherrealm has meddled with Lin Kuei affairs then perhaps we can shift forces onto them"

"Rightfully so. But he would only loose interest in Anna and Elsa if they were-"

"We'll find another way" Smoke nodded. He sensed a sincerity and determination in his friend. A strong desire to set thing right.

"I will return to the temple, get Anna and then bring her back, we can decide what to do from there"

"Very well, thank you Smoke". The two then brought their fists to their chest. "Be stealthful as the night"

"And deadly as the dawn". Sub-zero watched as Smoke turned to creep his way out of the castle. Once he was sure he was gone he turned around to reveal that they were being watched the whole time.

Kristoff stood before his with his sharpened axe.

"Kristoff?"

"I knew we couldn't trust you" he grunted as he gripped his axe tighter. "Sub-zero, Kuai Liang, it makes no difference" He didn't hear anything but from what he saw there were two assassins conspiring against them. He stormed forward.

"I do not know what you think you saw but I assure we are here to help. We just need time" Kristoff swung his axe at Sub-zero.

Sounds of a confrontation was heard in other parts of the castle however and to appease her guests Elsa sent armed guards on patrol.

Elsewhere in the castle Smoke tried to make his escape. He slid through the shadows although there was no one around but him. But that would soon change.

"Hey you!" a voice called out. Smoke froze in the shadows and turned his head around to see a man with red hair and a uniform the same color as his approaching him. He turned around to face him but did not intend to fight. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" he asked slyly.

"My name is Thomas" he said revealing his true name "I am a diplomat"

"A diplomat? From what country?"

Smoke faltered "A small one, new to the business of the bigger world. Of what concern is it to you?" he said flipping the tables on him.

"Well there seems to be an abduction of royalty recently and I'd hate to be a part of it" Hans said crossing his arms

"And who are you?"

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles"

"Well Prince Hans I doubt that you are in any danger" Smoke said "But I must return"

"Very well" Hans nodded as Smoke turned to walk away "The throne rooms the other way" he called out

"Hm?" he turned to him confused.

"Everyone's in the throne room to discuss Sub-zero's fate. Shouldn't you be there for it?"

"Of course" Smoke nodded as he turned and walked off in another direction.

"Interesting choice of attire" Hans said as he studied him "What country did you say you were from?"

"I didn't". He did not want to either, even if he said Antartika he wouldn't want to risk an invasion of the temple.

"hm… must be somewhere eerily similar to this Sub-zero. It is somewhat similar to what he wears"

"I haven't noticed"

"You haven't seen him?"

"No"

"Then where have you been all this time?" Smoke faltered in his words now and Hans grinned at him.

Hans unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Smoke. "Now isn't this my lucky day, looks like I get to play hero today" he mocked sadistically

"If you knew what was at stake than you would not believe so" Smoke said as he put his arms up "Let me go and you truly could be a hero"

"You're in no position to make demands" Hans said as he locked his eyes and blade on him. Smoke took a step back from Hans who only advanced one step.

"Prince Hans you do not know what you're doing" Smoke warned hoping there would be no fight. He had made a promise not to hurt anyone.

"No, I think I do" he smirked. Then he jabbed the sword forward easily but Smoke dodged to the left. Then he brought the sword up and then swung down. Smoke saws this as his chance. As the sword came down he grabbed Hans wrist halting the sword's advance. He squeezed tightly on his wrist and the prince winced in pain as he fought against the assassin's strength to no avail.

Then Smoke snapped his other hand forward and hit Hans' hand and the sword fell from his hand and onto the floor; rattling as it did so. Then Smoke shoved him back onto the floor.

"Stay down" he advised as he pointed down at him. Grunting Hans picked himself up and ran towards Smoke. He threw a punch but when he did he disappeared into a cloud of smoke. Shocked Hans retracted his hand immediately but then he felt two arms wrap around his torso. Then he was lifted into the air flipped over and landed on his face. Then he was let go to and he rolled onto the floor. Holding his face in pain he looked up to see Smoke looking down at him. He didn't look for long as a group of armed guards entered and he soon fled by turning into a cloud of smoke.

Kristoff swung his axe at Sub-zero who ducked and dodged each blow. He kept backing away from him as he tried desperately to talk sense into him.

"Kristoff! Stop this! You don't understand"

"I understand plenty" he swung the axe and Sub-zero dodged. "You're an assassin, you thrive on deceit!"

"No!" he jumped back from a swing "We only plan to bring Anna back here where she belongs" another swing and he ducked.

"Lies!"

"It is the truth!" another swing. "We want the same thing"

"I want to live happy and free from people like you with the woman I love" Kristoff exclaimed briefly stopping his assault before continuing it "You can't want that" Sub-zero thought of what he said. It sounded nice but he wasn't sure who he could share it with, or if she would want to share it with him.

"How are you so sure?"

"I was born like you, without a family. So I made one" He pointed the axe at him" You made yours of murderers and thieves!"

"We are no-"

"You're all the same!" he swung the axe down and Sub-zero caught it as it lay inches from his face.

"I am not my brother!" he shoved it back and Kristoff was flung onto the floor and the axe flew in the air. Sub-zero caught it and pointed it at the prince. "Listen to me" he starred down at him "If I wanted to end this and hurt you I could have but I didn't. I am here to help, Smoke is here to help" he exhaled a deep breathe "We will get your true love back"

Kristoff let his words sink in. Then a loud clamoring caught their attention. A swarm of guards same and surrounded them; their spears pointed at Sub-zero. "He's attacked the prince!" they pointed their weapons at him and pinned him to the wall. He dropped the axe and did not resist.

Soon enough the ambassadors including a weakened Hans walked in.

"There he is! Monster!" the duke growled. "The other attacked Prince Hans!" they all crowded behind the guards and shouted and cursed him.

Elsa was the last one to enter the room and once she did her eyes locked onto Sub-zero in shock.

Back at the Lin Kuei temple Cyrax was being interrogated by Anna on numerous different subjects depending on which peaked her interest… and they all did.

"Wait, so there's two princesses?!" she asked ecstatic with curiosity as she sat down before him. Cyrax nodded. "And they're sisters?!" Now Cyrax contemplated his next words carefully because while he was sure magic was not foreign to her the process of cloning was probably about as distant as everything else so he just responded "yes".

"What are they like?" she asked

"The elder dresses in blue and is more…" he paused "reserved in her nature. The younger is more…" he took a longer pause "sporadic"

"Oh.. that sounds like me and Elsa-Elsa and I" she corrected herself.

Cyrax cringed at her comparison "I" he strained his words "don't think-"

"I bet we'd get alone great! I bet she loves chocolate!" Cyrax didn't have the heart to tell her that she couldn't be more dead wrong, for this princess preferred more meaty treats. "Can you take us to meet them?" Finally something he could answer

"No"

"Why not?"

"The Line Kuei is not as welcome in other realm as you may think but then again I'm sure that doesn't surprise you"

"Nope" she chirped "no wait-yes?" she said confused and not sure of how to answer. Cyrax just smirked at her.

Then something else caught their attention. They looked over to see Smoke running towards them and since he left the castle he was unaware of Sub-zero's fate.

"Smoke!" they both exclaimed. Anna got up and ran towards him while Cyrax walked.

"Cyrax, Anna" Smoke spoke as he stopped and held his arms out "I-oof" he grunted as Anna ran into and hugged him. His arms remain dangling as he looked strangely down to Anna, then to Cyrax and back to her.

"Your back" Anna said sweetly into his chest. Smoke chuckled and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yes, I am" he said full of content

"So what happened?!" Anna asked as they pulled away, her curiosity now turned towards him instead of Cyrax.

"Sub-zero is safe, your sister and Kristoff are fine" Smoke spoke kindly as he held her hands in his "but…" he said with dread before pausing and dropping his face from her in agony.

"What is it? What happened?" Cyrax looked on with anticipation and worry.

"I had to fight someone.. and I hurt them, not fatally but I had to do it"

"Oh..." her eyes fell to the ground in disappointment "..who was it?" she looked back up to him

Smoke took a deep breathe, acknowledging his failure "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles" he exhaled. Anna's eyes widened.

"Good!" This just confused both Smoke and Cyrax.


	8. Let the storm rage on

Anna sat giddily on the floor before a very worn out Smoke; not because of his long journey but because he had to listen and answer the very same set of questions ever since he returned.

"So then what happened?" Anna asked bouncing on the floor, her arms wrapped around her legs

With his head resting in his hand as he sat on a stone before her Smoke let out a weary sigh "I flipped him onto the ground"

Anna let out a cheer and threw her arms up in the air before snapping them down and leaning forward "Then what?!"

"I had to make a quick escape. So I turned into a cloud of smoke and left" he said exhausted.

Anna let out another cheer although not as loud as the last. "So this was after you disarmed him?"

"That was the end of it, yes"

"So it was after you disarmed him" she concluded

"Yes" he strained his voice. He had told her the story countless times by now.

"And then y-"

"Smoke!" another voice called out. They turned to see Cyrax coming for them; a piece of paper was in his hands.

"Cyrax" they both said as they got up to greet him.

"The Grandmaster was interested in your findings at Arendelle. What did you tell him?"

"I saw no signs of Sub-zero" he lied as only the three of them knew "He was nowhere at the castle. It's unlikely he was captured and that he would still be there. So we should not return as well is we should search for him...Why?" he asked

"I was summoned before him to ask of your travels. Perhaps our constant interaction with Anna is being called into question."

"Then we must get her out of here before anyone suspects anything. We must-"

"We may have to wait" Cyrax told as he revealed the parchment to him "We have been summoned for a mission" Smoke came over to look.

"Mission? Where are we going?!" Anna asked energetically as she tried to look at the paper. But Cyrax simply folded it in on itself and she saw none of it, although she did make out a few words and half a name. She looked from the folded paper to the two men who looked at her concerned.

"This is not for you Anna" Cyrax said.

She was shocked "I thought you said we were going somewhere?"

"We are" he motioned to himself and Smoke "**You** are not" he emphasized. This seemed to discourage her "not yet anyway. You will be home soon enough" he assured her "But for now, give us a moment"

Pouting Anna did so and she walked off dazed as she looked back them over her shoulder. She likely couldn't handle or understand the horrible things asked of them on the paper.

Once she was out of ear shot the two of them spoke about their situation. They spoke of the horrible timing of this mission and that they had little time to deal with. They spoke of Sub-zero's plan and if it could still work. They were both concerned that if both of them left her on this mission then she would be open to assaults from other members such as Sektor. Cyrax also told him what Anna stumbled onto in her travels through the temple. Smoke ultimately thought that their interactions with her could hinder the programs progress while Cyrax thought it would only further it.

Anna wandered away and through the temple as she left Cyrax and Smoke behind. Her thoughts were of what was on that paper they had and more urgently when she would get home. She was so entangled in these thoughts that she did not see the large, dark figure before her and so she bumped into it head on.

"Ah, oh" she faltered back holding her nose. "Excuse-"she stopped as she looked at the person before her. "Oh hello Sektor" she said as she looked up at him. Without saying a word he reached forward and grabbed her by the throat. She let out a loud shriek that echoed through the temple.

Smoke and Cyrax darted their heads to the sound of a woman's scream and only one came to mind.

"Anna!" they concluded together aloud. They sprinted out towards the sound of the cry. They found her soon enough being restrained by Sektor with 2 other Lin Kuei members with him as they walked off, taking her with them.

"Help me!" she wailed and they gave pursuit but they were too far behind.

Sektor nodded as Anna was dragged away. She squirmed, fidgeted, screamed and begged then to stop but they did both listen to her pleas. They dragged her across the temple with Cyrax and Smoke in pursuit. Crowds of other Lin Kuei began to gather and watch as they were taken away. Some were regular men in garbs, others were encased in metal as part of the Grandmaster's vision ;cyborgs.

They were brought into the throne room; the very first place where Anna was brought when she was first brought here. From his throne the Grandmaster watched with 6 cyborgs; 3 at his side. At the foot of his throne was an operating board with straps to restrain those in it. It was stained red. When Anna was brought in the Grandmaster rose from his throne.

"This is the beginning of a new era!" he spoke "With her at our disposal we will become more powerful than ever". Anna planted her feet on the ground but they tightly gripped her arms and flung her forward and she yelped in pain.

"Please! Don't do this! Please!" she pleaded "Somebody help me!"

"Anna!" a voice cried out. Everyone turned to see Cyrax and Smoke break through the crowds. "Stop this"

All was silent and all eyes were on them.

"Take them as well!" the Grandmaster commanded. Cyborgs teleported around them and before they could react they were beaten down and restrained. "Start with her!" he pointed at Anna. The two holding onto her dragged her forward. "Or you could use your powers to escape" he said. This was an impossible choice, one she could not escape from. Anna began to cry.

Then something happened. A black ring appeared at the bottom of the throne and before Anna and her captors. No one knew what it was, or why it was there. They all looked on in anticipation. Then something stepped through the portal, something black and in the shape of a man. The portal closed and this man's back was to Anna and all the other members but facing the throne. It took in a deep breath and let out a satisfied exhale. Then it arched it's head and looked up the throne before it. Something about the sight of the Grandmaster must have been funny because it let out a small chuckle at the sight of him. He turned around now to face the other's and that's when Anna realized something; she had met him before! The last time she saw him was when she was kidnapped and he separated from the others. He didn't wear black though but if he was at all like Cyrax or Smoke then he must be alright she thought.

"Sub-zero!" she yelped "Sub-zero help". He looked at her with a raised brow over his pupiless eyes. He leaned forward.

"Have we met?" his deep voice asked but it sounded as if he already knew the answer. He reached his right arm forward and grabbed her chin, followed by rotating her head up to view him. Studying it for a few silent uncomfortable moments he let go and then tugged violently on one of her braids. She whimpered at his actions but her whimpering only garnered a chuckle from him. He stood up again and then looked around.

"Sub-zero?" Cyrax questioned. He looked over to him as he and Smoke remained restrained. He made no response.

"No" Smoke said, almost in astonishment of who it was.

"Hmph" the black figure let out before turning around to see the Grandmaster staring him down. "Still alive? Old man" he mocked.

The Grandmaster let out an aged, disappointed grumble "You were always a thorn in my side" he chided as the black figure advanced up the stairs to him "In life" he stopped before him "and now even in death"

"Unrestricted by a mortal form and the Lin Kuei"

"One master for another; you are but a dog trying to appease his master. Noob Saibot" he scorned the wraith. Noob looked to the cyborgs standing around him.

"Are these your new toys?" The Grandmaster didn't answer "Let's see how they play".

The Grandmaster let out a sharp groan. Noob released his fist from the old man's chest as he fell to the ground. Noob reached down and pulled a small golden amulet from the Grandmasters cloak. He regarded it curiously as it shined inside his now gold palm.

Then in a split second the surrounding cyborgs and assassins attacked him. He dodged, ducked, punched, kicked and threw some into others. If he was in a corner he would teleport away only to strike them from behind. The members holding Anna discarded her to the ground to charge Noob. He punched one coming at him, and then snapped his leg back taking one down. Then he swung around with his battle axe and started to cut them down; cyborgs or not. Anna watched on in horror at the onslaught.

Then two pairs of hands grabbed her from behind and she was relieved to see Smoke and Cyrax.

"Anna, get somewhere safe. Hide!" Smoke told.

"But what about you?" she asked as she got up

"Don't worry about us. Get somewhere safe!" Cyrax urged

Anna looked on as Noob struck down more opponents with his battle axe "I thought you said he was a good guy"

"He is not" Smoke growled

"What?"

"There's no time, hide!" Cyrax said as he and Smoke charged Noob. Anna hid behind a nearby column but peered out to see them fight.

An assassin tried to punch Noob but he teleported from his strike reappeared behind him with his back to his and swung his axe into his back. He fell to the ground as he pulled his axe out. He looked forward to see Cyrax and Smoke charging him. Cyrax shot his plasma net and trapped him but clutching the amulet he easily broke free. Smoke disappeared into a cloud of smoke and reappeared behind Noob. But he must have been expecting it so he snapped his leg back, taking his out from under him. Cyrax flung his buzz saw forward but Noob cut it in half with his axe. Then he punched Cyrax in the face, then again and again before kicking him away. Smoke charged him from behind but Noobs shadow split from him and made short work of Smoke attempts before discarding him on the floor. Anna almost shrieked but held her mouth close when she didn't see him get up.

Noob then noticed green pixels before him. He jumped back just as Sektor appeared from under him trying uppercut him. Since he missed he was exposed and Noob kicked him back into a column. Then he gripped his axe with both hands and flung it at him. He squirmed out of the way before it hit the column and took it down.

It crumbled at the base and the whole thing began to give out and fall. Dodging the debris Cyrax and Sektor ran through it towards Noob. Cyrax reached for bombs on his belt and he flung them towards Noob. Noob just swatted them, sending them all across the room. One headed right for Anna!

She ran from the column she hid behind as the bombs blew up all around the room. The column crumbled and began to fall down. Sektor and Cyrax continued charging Noob. The column started to fall down towards them. It collided on the ground and although Cyrax dodged it Sektors legs were caught under it. Cyrax glared at Noob and his many fallen brethren including Smoke and Cyrax. He sprinted towards Noob but Noob just grabbed him by the throat and held him up in the air with his left hand. His right hand still wielding the amulet he started to mercilessly beat down Cyrax. He'd pull his arm back then punch. Pull, punch. Pull, Punch. Pull, Punch. He reared his am back again to hit him.

Dazed and weakened Cyrax didn't have many options. He saw something shiny in Noob's hand and he knew what it was.

Before he could be struck again he kicked his leg forward knocking the amulet out of his hands.

It landed near a pile of debris; where Anna was hiding.

Noob now furiously beat Cyrax's face. He let him drop to the ground and continued hitting him.

Anna now peaked out of her hiding spot. She hoped Cyrax had beaten the bad guy but from what she saw that wasn't going to happen.

Then she looked over she saw something glistening; the amulet. She reached over and picked it up and stood up at full height cradling it.

"USE IT!" a voice snapped at her. She flinched and looked over to see the Grandmaster looking at her from the floor. Noob stopped his assault and snapped back to see her standing there shaken. "Use the amulet!" the Grandmaster screamed and she flinched. Although Noob's attention was on her he wiped his hands across Cyrax's torso and when released them they were clean;black as they should be. He then stood up and turned around to her. "Use it!" Noob looked from the Grandmaster to her. "Use it with your powers"

Anna whimpered. "Hmph. Yes your powers. Use them" Noob said as he casually walked up to Anna.

"Don't let him take it!" the Grandmaster shouted.

"Stop me" Noob said immediately "Show me your powers" he mocked

Anna held up the Amulet to him "Stay back. I-I don't want to hurt you"

"You cannot hurt me"

"I can w-w-with my p-p-"

"Powers, yes. Ice and snow" he stopped a few feet from her "I've seen it before" his voice dripped with malice. "Show me" Anna cowered from him and held the amulet close to her "Show me" he nodded.

"Sub-zero?" she questioned.

He was silent for a moment before he finally responded.

"Yes". Not a lie either.

Cyrax struggled to look up at her. When he finally did he saw Noob standing before her. He reached for another ball on his belt but this one was not a bomb. He was saving this as a last chance for Anna and with Noob here it looked like this was the ideal time.

Noob looked at her and the amulet she held "Two for the price of one"

"Anna!" Cyrax screamed. All eyes went to him as he flung the ball towards them. Noob instinctively dodged but Anna stood there and it struck her but it did not explode.

Instead it opened up into a portal. The orange spirals consumed Anna and the amulet with her.

"No!" Noob shouted and he sprinted towards the portal. He reached out to grab her but the portal closed and he was too late. He flung his arms down and breathed heavily. He turned back and stormed towards Cyrax. He knelt down and picked him up by his collar "Where is she, where did she go?"

Cyrax coughed "Somewhere where you won't find her"

Noob turned his head around and thought for a moment "My brother" he turned back to a shocked Cyrax. "Yes that is it" he concluded "I shall pay him another visit"

"Another?" Before he could say or hear anything else his head was knocked against the pavement and all he saw was black.

Sub-zero exhaled a breath and it was visible as it entered the dark air in a dank he found himself in now; chained to the wall by his wrists. He was forced there by Elsa's command although from all the commotion and that look in her eyes she likely had no choice; at least he'd like to assume so. Two assaults on two different princes would definitely not be overlooked; self-defense or not... even if they believed him and not his reputation. He heard the door open and a light shined onto him. He put a hand up as he squinted to see a womanly figure in the doorway. The door closed and darkness returned.

He heard the quick hitting of feet against the floor before something threw itself against him and two arms wrapped around his shoulders and a head was against his chest.

"Kuai Liang" a woman's voice he recognized very well whimpered "I'm sorry"

"Elsa" he identified her "Your sorry?" he could tell she looked up to him in the darkness "You put me here"

"Only to protect you. From them" she spoke emotionally

"Didn't your parents think the same way?" she shuddered "Nothing is stopping me from breaking free…except for the backlash it will have on you"

She breathed in "Thank you" she exhaled and he could feel her breath on his face, they were so close

"But then again, the Lin Kuei has their reputation as well"

"P-please, please" she placed fingers on his lips "Don't do that, don't do this" she pleaded and he observed and felt how she trembled against him. Tears started to fall down her cheeks "I want everything to go back to the way it was"

"I know"

"Why do you do all this? Why do you have to be the way you are? Why-"he opened his mouth to answer but she asked another question "W-why did you attack Kristoff?"

"He attacked me"

"What did you say to him, your friend? What are you planning, I can't wait any longer" he said nothing "I want my sister back" she cringed

"She'll be back soon enough" he said and Elsa looked to him in wonder "just wait. Once she's returned you can let me go. You can all live happily ever after and I can go back to doing what I'm good at" a silence as deadly as he was filled the room.

"Killing?" she asked. He nodded. "You don't have to leave if you don't want to" he said nothing "Do you want to leave?"

He inhaled and then exhaled "My leave will free you of the Lin Kuei, of my brother-"

"Your strong" she gripped him "You can protect us. Our main export is ice. I can give you a job as an ice harvester and we'll be just like Anna and Kristoff"

He looked at her curiously "How's that?" She made no response. "The question is really, do you want me to leave?" she looked down from him nervously, dreading his answer. He changed the subject "My choice has been made for me"

"You always have a choice. What will yours be" she gripped the sides of his face. They looked deeply into each other's eyes; his were unflinching while hers were ablaze with emotion and worry.

"I've heard everything they've said about me..and it's all true"

"No" she gasped "You a good man"

"What would you have me do?" her lip trembled. She broke down crying as she held his face.

"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." She choked on air "You have to go to the Southern Isles" she sobbed. Sub-zero gazed at her.

"Like I said, my choice has been made for me. What happens if I go?"

"We get stronger ties, more trade, and more protection-"

"From men like me"

"From men like your brother" she told sternly. He studied the queen and everything she said to him.

"You must truly love your sister if you're willing to deal with men like me"

"And you must… really hate your brother if you're willing to help a woman you just met over him"

"Don't they have a name for that?"

"True love?" The two gazed at each other and Elsa leaned her face towards his.

"My choice has been made for me" he spoke stopping her face inches from him "I will go to the Southern Isles for the benefit of your kingdom" her head dropped to his chest.

"Thank you... I'm so sorry" she kept saying in between breathes

"But I will not remain their prisoner" she looked at him curiously

"How-"a loud feminine shriek suddenly rang out through the castle and their heads darted towards the door and what was outside it. A loud commotion was heard following the shriek. Elsa got up ran to the door and peered outside.

"Your majesty come quick!" a guard hollered. Too many possibilities ran through her head. An assault from the Lin Kuei or just as worse; Noob Saibot. She turned back and ran to Sub-zero.

"I trust you" she told him. She wanted to say something else and he knew that.

"Is that all?" he asked. She winced as she opened his locks.

They raced throughout the castle with a guard leading them. They were lead this way and that way and the clamoring got louder. Then they arrived outside of the throne room. All the commotion had stopped. They slammed the door open to reveal a crowd of people circled around two others. They were so fixated on them that they didn't notice them enter and once they realized who it was they were captivated as well. Elsa's eyes widened and jaw dropped.

Anna was sitting on the floor with Kristoff knelt down before her. They held each other tightly as Anna unnoticeably clutched something in her right hand. They were kissing each other passionately and crying together. They would break the kisses only to let out sobs and incoherent words of love.

"I found you, I found you" Kristoff sobbed as he kissed her cheek.

"I love you, I missed you" she kissed back. Elsa walked forward.

"Anna" she squeaked. Anna stopped. She turned her head from Kristoff to see her older sister looking down at her.

"Elsa" she winced. Elsa opened her arms and dived down to her sister and they hugged. They closed their eyes, said each other's names followed by I love you as they held each other tightly. All in the room were overcome with emotion, all but Sub-zero who remained serious. He slowly crept forward. He was curious how she got here, more so than anyone else.

"Anna?"

Anna opened her eyes and looked up from her sisters shoulder. She saw Sub-zero; not only the man who helped kidnap her but also the one who attacked the Lin Kuei temple. She knew what he was capable of first hand. She didn't know how he got here so quickly but she didn't care, she was overcome with fear. She screamed and flung back from her sister and squirmed away on the floor petrified with fear.

"No! Get back! Get away!" she screamed wildly and looked at him in pure terror but he was just confused.

"Anna! No! Get back!" Kristoff exclaimed as he put himself in-between him and her defensively. She clung to his leg and hid behind him on the floor.

Sub-zero was shocked "Anna I-"he stepped forward but a spear was plunged before his throat and many more surrounded him so he was immobilized.

"Anna!" Elsa rushed to her side "it's alright, it's alright. You home, your safe and he won't-"

"You hurt them!" Anna exclaimed on the brink of tears from behind Kristoff's leg "You attacked them in your home, why? Smoke, Cyrax, why did you hurt them?!".

Sub-zero was even more confused now "I don't know-"

"They were your friends?!" All eyes went to Sub-zero. His face was stern and serious now.

"Friendships are forbidden in the Lin Kuei"

Glances were exchanged around the room and small clamoring broke out. Elsa looked around in worry, everyone else in judgment. Truly he and the entire Lin Kuei would seem more distant and heartless now.

"So, the Lin Kuei is no more" Kristoff said aloud "it's all over"

"Not yet" Hans voice spoke up "I was assaulted by one of these monsters and I will have what was promised to me" he turned to Sub-zero "him". The assassin was silent. He glanced over to Elsa and she read in his eyes that he was ready.

"As we agreed, he is yours" her voice almost cracked and her head dropped, Sub-zero kept his eyes on her.

"Alright" Hans nodded and rubbed his hands together "now it's done"

"Everyone!" Kristoff announced and he received their attention "I have an announcement to make" they looked at him curiously "It has been a hard few days here in Arendelle, I don't think I have to say why" he glared at Sub-zero "But as it can clearly be seen my true love has returned to me" he clutched Anna's hand as she still hid behind his leg "and those who are responsible will be punished" he looked back at Sub-zero "so with that being said, I'd like to make a life altering decision" he pivoted on his feet and turned around, got on one knee and looked at Anna who still knelt before him. It was silent for a few moments "Anna you have to stand up for this" he whispered

"Wha-me oh, okay" he clamored as she stood up "Now what?" she asked

Kristoff pulled out a ring "Will you marry me?"

Anna's eyes widened and she gasped before putting her hands over her mouth. Everyone looked on eager for an answer but Sub-zero was stoic and Elsa was distraught.

It was silent for a few more moments. "Anna, this is where you anwe-"

"YES!" she exclaimed and she dived down to kiss him. He felt a medallion in her hand touch his cheek as the embraced but he didn't question it. Everyone else cheered but Elsa only clapped with a forced smile.

With the Lin Kuei no longer a problem all would soon return to normal. Once one last loose end was taken care of.

As all of the diplomats went towards their ships to return home, Sub-zero was in chains and was being lead to a ship in the harbor. This ship was going to take him to the Southern Isles. Behind him one of the guards held his garbs, cleaned and folded for him. He peaked over the guards shoulder to see Elsa waiting at him before the gangway.

"A moment gentlemen" she said to the guards. They moved to let her see him "Alone" they looked around and then left her. They looked over each other and Elsa's eyes were watery "I'm so sorry" she apologized

"This is the way it had to be. I will not remain their prisoner for long"

"How?" she asked. His silence was her answer. Her gaze from him faltered, she knew exactly what he was going to do.

"You need not worry, it will be beyond your control when it happens. Now you have everything you wanted"

Elsa looked down "Not everything" she muttered. He looked her over.

"This is probably going to be the last time we see each other" he said "Is there anything you have to say?"

Elsa fiddled with her fingers "Our ice business is really going to suffer without you "she joked but he was not one for humor. Silently, Elsa leaned her face up to his.

Back on the pier Anna tried desperately to go to Sub-zero but Kristoff kept stopping her.

"Come on" she hopped over him but he stood before her "Let me get by" she insisted as she hopped again, clutching something in her hand. She tried to walk passed him but he grabbed her arms

"No. I don't want you going near him"

Anna sighed "Alright…hubby" he smiled at her and leaned in for a kiss. But he also loosened up his grip on her so she slipped from his grip and ran towards Sub-zero and Elsa.

"Anna!" Kristoff called after her.

She ran up to him as she stood with Elsa. Their faces were close but they retracted once she called over. "Sub-zero!" she got his attention "I just wanted to-hi Elsa" she turned to her sister briefly before turning back to him "I just wanted to give you something- and ask you something, I wanted to do both" Sub-zero looked at her with a raised brow. Anna fiddled with something in her hands "Make sure Smoke and Cyrax are okay"

Sub-zero nodded "I will"

"And tell them I said thank you"

"Of course" nodded

"And uh-"she fiddled again "I don't know why you do what you do but…" she held out her hands to him "This is for you. It doesn't belong to me so I can't keep it"

Sub-zero looked at her hands curiously. He reached forward and took it in his hand. It was a round object. He turned it over to see it.

It was the Dragon Medallion.

The symbol of power in the Lin Kuei, which increases your powers tenfold. How did she get this?

His jaw dropped and he looked at her shocked.

"Where did you get this?" he asked

Anna looked at him confused "Don't you remember?" she asked. He shook his head "You came to the temple, hurt everyone.. and then you took that and tried to take me"

"I did that?" he asked

Anna nodded and then began to ramble "I don't know how you got here so fast or how you changed your clothes but-"

"What? Clothes?"

"You were wearing all black"

Sub-zero's eyes opened up and his jaw dropped even more. He kept his eyes on Anna as he leaned back from her in shock.

"Kuai what is it?" Elsa stepped forward

"My brother" he snapped to her in a whisper "he's coming here"

"What?" she asked

"He's coming here, for you, for her, for this" he showed her the medallion "I have to take it away from here. Once it's safe I'll come back, to protect you"

Elsa smiled "Maybe you'll make the wedding?"

"I'll be back" he said.

"Enough" Hans called out from the ship "Bring him, let's go home!"

"I'll come back" he said to Elsa. He was shoved forward by one of the guards before she could say anything else. She watched him forced onto the ship and then down below beyond her sight. All the ships set sail but she kept her eyes on the one from the Southern Isles. But just like all the others it disappeared on the horizon.

She returned to her castle, reunited with her sister. For the first few hours they all sat together at a table as Kristoff and Anna planned their wedding together. Elsa sat completely silent and would only answer when Anna would ask her a ridiculous question about their wedding which she would answer herself anyway.

"Should we have a chocolate fountain?!"

"Anna I think-"

"Were gonna do it! Do you think we should have ice sculptures?!"

"I think that would be fit-"

"Yes were doing it!"

As happy as she was for her sister and that she was returned to them, Elsa couldn't help but feel somewhat empty even though everything was certainly back to normal. A guard suddenly busted through the door.

"Your majesty! It's an emergency!"

"What is it?" she got up

"The ship from the Southern Isles, it… crashed" Elsa was on the brink of tears.

A rescue party was formed and Elsa led it. On horseback they traveled to the edges of the kingdom to find and help anyone that survived. And Elsa hoped one did.

They rode for hours until one of the guards saw something in the distance.

"There it is! "He shouted and pointed. In the distance they could see it. A large wooden ship was mounted on one of the rocks. There was a large whole in the side of the hull, the masts were broken and some areas of the ship were frozen.

"Search for survivors" Elsa commanded. She was the first off her horse and she ran for the wreckage. The ice crunched under her feet and she stopped and looked down. The clear ice was red all over and it stained her heels. She started to breathe heavily as she looked down at her feet and the wreckage.

After all that searching they found only one survivor; Prince Hans. None of the others survived the crash or what caused it. There was no sign of the culprit, the blue garbs he brought with him, or the dragon medallion. The only trace of him were red footprints that wandered away from the ship.


	9. Brothers and Sisters

"Your majesty" one of the councilors said to Elsa, snapping her back to attention.

"Yes, what is it?" she said frantically

"The trade agreements your grace, do you approve of them?"

It has been a few days since Hans was saved from the shipwreck. Fortunately (or unfortunately as Anna put it) he had very minor injuries. The rest could not be said of his crew. Regardless the king and queen of the Southern Isles were glad to have him back and as a reward sent a great deal of valuable goods to Arendelle (Anna again refuted the goods). They then began to talk of trade agreements which have been a hot topic. They are also into talks with Weselton.

Despite the fact that everything was busy, it was back to normal but Elsa felt something missing; or rather someone. And this someone weighed in on her mind all the time including during her council agreements.

"Yes they're fine" she answered "what else is there?"

"Oh there is still no sign of the criminal Sub-zero your majesty, although the search continues"

"I see" her eyes dropped with her voice

"There interestingly enough was an assault elsewhere in the kingdom"

This perked the queen's interest "What? Where?"

"Wandering Oakens trading post"

"And sauna" another spoke up

"Yes" the councilor nodded "He was attacked and his store was destroyed"

"Isn't that where Princess Anna wanted to go on her honeymoon?" one councilor asked

"I think the soon to be prince shot that idea down" another answered

"Well I guess it's answered for them"

"Excuse me!" Elsa snapped and all went silent for her "Who was this assailant?"

Shifty eyes and glances overtook the room "We do not know. Oaken could not identify him because he did not identify himself. He does know he was a very strong man since when he went to restrain him, he easily defeated him"

"What did he look like?"

"He is not sure since he wore a hood and mask. But it was all black" Elsa's intrigue became terror as she froze at the table.

"Noob Saibot" she said so low no one heard it

"He came in looking for a map of the kingdom" the councilor told "Oaken assumed he was a tourist. He asked where the castle was, Oaken told him about the ice castle, he said he didn't want to go there. Once he found out where to go he left but not without tearing off a picture of.."

"Of?"

"Of you, your grace" Elsa gulped "When Oaken insisted he pay for it, he started destroying the shop. When he tried to restrain him he fought and defeated him. His injuries were severe" he paused "He is lucky to be alive"

Elsa let all of this sink in before standing up "Double the guards, double the patrols. Keep on the lookout for this black wraith" she rambled

"Wraith?"

"Yes" she nodded and then looked at all of them "I have to go". She fled the room as her dress dragged behind her.

She left her council room and walked through the hallways. She started hyperventilating and brought her hands to her chest.

"He'll be back, he'll be back" she kept muttering. But what if Noob got here first? She had a bad feeling about all of this. And with the wedding coming up, someone like him would certainly love to destroy something as happy as that. But no one else knows about him and they all think it's over. She'd have to come up with something, until they get more protection.

"Anna!" she let out as she raced through the hallways to find her sister. She opened the throne room doors to see her siting with Kristoff at a table as they planed their wedding. "Anna!"

"Elsa!" she exclaimed and got up to hug her sister.

"Anna" Elsa said as they let go of each other. She knew it would be hard to do this, especially for her hopelessly romantic sister but it had to be done "I think we should hold off on the wedding, jut for a little while" she put her hands up defensively.

"What?! Why?!" Anna exclaimed chocked that her sister would ever propose such a thing.

"Elsa?!" Kristoff exclaimed

"I just have a bad feeling" Elsa said nervously

"Kristoff isn't anything like Hans" Anna told her

"Yeah that's right" he agreed.

"It's nobodies fault" Elsa tried to stress to them in great urgency "It's not Kristoff, it's not you, it's not the chocolate fountain it's … something else"

"Elsa? Are you okay" Anna asked concerned.

Elsa didn't answer her. The answer would have been no.

"Anna, I understand this is everything you've ever wanted but-"

A loud bang echoed throughout the room. Elsa turned around as Kristoff and Anna looked passed her to see someone standing in the throne room doors.

It was Sub-zero.

"Sub-zero" Elsa gasped. Anna and Kristoff froze.

Kristoff opened his mouth "Guar-"

"No!" Elsa stopped him "wait". She turned back and walked up to Sub-zero. He had a new outfit on, more like the first one she met him but it had modifications, his arms were visible and he had three belts across his waist. "Is it really you?" she asked. He nodded. "What happened? Where did you go?" he took off his mask "What happened, when you got back?" he dived towards her and his lips landed on hers. Hers eyes widened at first, shocked by his sudden actions but she gladly received him. Anna and Kristoff's eyes widened as well and they're jaws dropped too. Elsa herself was surprised, he seemed so reserved before but now he kissed her passionately as his hands held her head and back. She had only seen him so in depth with one other display; fighting.

But now he was passionate yet still very aggressive. He kissed her lips and held her tightly as her arms wrapped around him.

"It's loves first kiss" Anna whispered to a skeptical Kristoff. He still did not care for or trust Sub-zero.

Elsa pulled away from him "Kuai I-"he smacked his lips on hers again. They kissed for a few more tender moments until she pulled away to speak again "I'm so happy to se-"he continued kissing her. "I'm so glad your alri-" he forced his lips onto her again. There was so much she wanted to ask and tell him but apparently he didn't want to hear it right now.

She pulled away from him but he bit down on her bottom lip as she did. She had to tug and pull to get away. He let go and small drops of blood were visible on her already red lips. She reached her fingers up to feel it and then looked to him stunned with red fingers.

He looked back unflinching.

Since he was trained to be so violent, it may not be so surprising he was so aggressive. She could overlook it. She grabbed his hand "Come here" she smiled. She turned around "I want to show you something" she walked off.

But she didn't get far as he pulled her back to kiss her again. She laughed and giggled between kisses and tried to get away which she did. But as she walked off again he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. He held her tightly to as one hand held her torso and the other her head. He kissed her along her neck and cheek and she giggled as Anna and Kristoff watched. Then she felt his tongue slide up her neck and face. Her eyes bugged open and she began to squirm a bit. Then he bit down onto her cheek. This greatly disturbed to the two watching them.

Feeling so herself, Elsa squirmed out of his grip and he ran a hand threw her hair as she left him. She wiped her face and checked to see for any blood. Finding none she looked back at him. He again was unflinching. Strange as it was, she could overlook this too.

"Come and see this" she waved to him and put on a smile. "Anna and Kristoff are planning they're wedding" she turned away and put her back to him.

"Ohh a wedding" a deep voice rumbled from behind her "A shame you won't be there for it"

Elsa stopped walking away, her smile dropped and Anna and Kristoff were silent. "What do you me- eh" she grunted sharply.

She looked down to see his arm extended out towards her abdomen and the knife he held was inside her. She began to shake. She looked up to him with tears in her eyes.

"Why?" she whimpered

His head twisted like a bird at her "Why not" he responded. Elsa let out a blood curdling scream as she fell to the ground and the knife slipped out of her.

As she fell Sub-zero's outfit changed too. Black garbs covered his old ones and concealed his skin. His eyes became pupiless. He wiped the knife off onto his own sleeve.

"Noo! Elsa!" Anna shrieked as Kristoff held her back.

Noob looked down at the bleeding queen. He raised his boot and pressed down on her wound. She whimpered when he stepped on her. "Oh, that must hurt" he applied more pressure and she let out a wail. She grabbed his shin and tried to move him but it didn't work "It'll be over soon.. you should get used to it. This is what awaits you in the Netherrealm"

"Stop! Please!" Anna shouted out. Noob turned up to her.

"You!" he stepped off of Elsa and walked towards Anna and Kristoff; one of his boots left red footprints.

"Why are you doing this?" Anna shouted as Kristoff put himself before her.

"I do what I must, what I wish to do. Where is it? Where is the medallion?"

"I don't have it. I gave it back"

"Back?" Noob stopped

"Back to you"

Noob stopped and looked back to Elsa "Kuai" he muttered. Then he charged back to Elsa as she lay on the floor. He stood over her. He raised his leg and slammed down on her wound and she cried out in pain. "Where is he?!" his voice echoed.

"I-I don't know-AH!" he pressed down more.

"Why are you doing this?!" Anna cried.

Noob looked up to her "She is wanted in the Netherrealm, to belong there where not even the Lin Kuei can get her and a death by only my hands can take her there." he told "And once I get that medallion I will overthrow the ruler of Netherrealm and take it for myself" he looked down to Elsa "and you will have no choice but to serve me" he pressed down more and she screamed.

Anna and Kristoff looked on in horror "I thought you loved her!" Anna shouted and he abruptly stopped.

"What?" he let out confused

"I-I thought you loved her"

"You thought" he pointed to Anna "Sub-zero" he said aloud and didn't point to himself "loves her" he pointed down to Elsa. Anna nodded

Noob snapped his head back to Elsa and back to look as if someone was there. He slowly turned back to Elsa. "I knew it" he said aloud. He waved his hand as an axe appeared. He reached down and grabbed Elsa by her hair "I'm going to enjoy this" he lined the axe up with her neck.

"No!" Anna shrieked. She slipped from Kristoffs grip and sprinted forward to Noob. Upon hearing her he snapped his head up and lowered the axe to his side. Anna rushed him and intended to tackle him but Noob was too fast and trained too well. He snapped his free hand forward and wrapped it around her neck. He rose to his full height and he held his arm above his head with her caught in his grasp. He studied Anna as she struggled above him in his grip and Elsa from below under his boot.

"I remember you" he said and she struggled "Cyrax thought he was saving you from me. How wrong he was. I wish he could be here for this" he tightened his grip on her and she gagged "And I wish that Kuai-"he looked past her to see Kristoff charging him. Without flinching his shadow jumped out and knocked him to the ground. He turned back to Anna again "I have use for her" he stepped down more on Elsa "But not for him" he looked at Kristoff "Or you..not anymore" Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Why are you doing this Sub-zero?"

He was silent for a moment "My name is Noob Saibot". He dropped his axe and brought his other hand to cover her face. She let out muffled cries and whimpers from under his hands. Then slowly as Elsa and Kristoff watched he started to press down on her head with the intent to crush her skull; something he was very capable of doing.

Not able to withstand what was going on right above her Elsa raised her hand up and grabbed his foot and that was all she needed. Ice trailed up from his foot, ankle, leg, torso and his arms. His hands froze in place and Anna slipped from his grip and onto the floor.

"No-"he grunted as the ice covered his head and his entire body was frozen in place.

Anna crawled over to Elsa and tugged her from under his frozen boot.

"Elsa" she sniffled as she put her hand on top of hers which was atop her wound. Kristoff came to their side

"Come on, we have to get out of here" He helped Anna up and then leaned down to picked Elsa up. They ran off, away from the frozen man but the ice that concealed him had begun to crack. And his eyes were locked on them from within that ice. Anna and Kristoff were focused on getting away but Elsa starred back at him as the ice cracked and now guards started to swarm around him.

They left the room and slammed the door behind them.

"We have to get her out of her" Kristoff said

"We have to get her help" Anna told

"Help is coming" Elsa said weakly. A series of blood curdling screams echoed from the throne room and Kristoff and Anna looked back in terror. "He'll be back" Elsa said softly as a tear fell from her eye and down her cheek.

"Who?" Anna asked

"Sub-zero"

"He's already here"

"No" Elsa shook he head "That is Noob Saibot. Bi Han" she grunted "Kuai Liang, Kuai Liang will-"Noob suddenly busted through the throne room doors. Panting violently he turned to them with intensity. The three of them backed up from him. He slowly advanced. Every step they took away he took one forward. Then his pacing started to increase and they continued to cower at him.

Then he sprinted forward at them. The three of them huddled together standing against him as he came forward.

Then suddenly he froze.

Kristoff and Anna looked from each other curiously and then to Elsa.

"Wow nice job!" Kristoff congratulated her

"You had us worried there for a second" Anna said reassured.

But Elsa only looked back at them strangely "I didn't do that" she said. Puzzled Kristoff and Anna looked ahead at the frozen Noob amd beyond. Elsa did so too with hope and what she saw brought a smile to her face.

Back at the end of the hallway was a man in blue garbs not unlike those Noob disguised himself in before but these were very familiar to Elsa.

"Kuai" She smiled weakly as she held her wound. From under his foot was a sheet of ice which spread from him to Noob and encased him. Adorned on his robes was something new.

A Golden amulet; the Dragon Medallion.

He walked forward towards them. He did not even glance at the frozen Noob as he walked by although his white eyes followed him. He looked to Kristoff, Anna and Elsa and that's when he realized Elsa's hands on her stomach covered in red. She smiled happily but painfully when she saw him.

"Elsa" he said sharply. He bent down as Anna flinched towards Kristoff and he got up and put his arms over Elsa and away from him. Sub-zero stopped briefly but Elsa stretched out her red arm towards him and Kristoff backed away. He gripped her hand in his. "Elsa" he said again tenderly.

"Kuai" she strained his as they held each other's hands. Then they heard a crack. Then another one. Sub-zero turned around while the others looked ahead just as Noob Saibot bursted free from the ice.

He rolled his shoulder leading to a crack as he starred them down; specifically Sub-zero.

Knowing this Sub-zero got up as Elsa's hand slipped from his and turned to face Noob. There were a few brief moments of silence between them.

"Give me the amulet Kuai" Noob reached out his hand "and I will leave this land forever and I will not harm another soul in this kingdom or all around it"

Sub-zero looked back as Elsa lay wounded on the floor with Kristoff and Anna beside her. Anna nodded her head frantically at him. He looked back to Noob.

"No" he responded.

Noob flinched "No?"

"What?" Anna shouted

"I knew we couldn't trust you!" Kristoff yelled enraged. Elsa said nothing.

Sub-zero remained calm "I say no because I know that even if I give you the medallion, even if I trust you to hold up to your word… you won't. You'll take the amulet, kill them and kill me.. and you'll enjoy every second. And I know you'll do that because I know you better than anyone else.. because your my brother"

Anna and Kristoff's jaws dropped. Noob retracted his arm to his side and starred down his younger brother who starred back with an equal determination.

"He's your brother?" Anna squeaked. Sub-zero looked back to her and nodded "But.. you two are supposed to love each other.. don't you?" he shook his head.

"Hmph. Something we agree upon" Noob let out "Stand down" he snapped

"No"

"Dragon Medallion or not" Noob scoffed "You were always weak Kuai". As soon as he finished his sentence he sprinted towards Sub-zero. But as soon as he did he shot ice out and froze him in place. Muffled grunts were heard from beneath the ice. Struggling underneath Noob eventually broke free and again sprinted towards them but Sub-zero froze him again very easily. Struggling again he broke free and again ran towards them but he didn't get far as he was frozen again. Aggravated screams were heard from beneath the ice but Sub-zero retained his composure. Noob burst from the ice and as soon as he did teleported barley missing another ice ball from Sub-zero.

The three behind him panicked once he disappeared but he knew exactly what to expect. As soon as Noob disappeared he snapped his arm down to grab his head as he appeared out of a portal; freezing him instantly. Bringing his arm up he threw him to the ground and the ice shattered as Noob tumbled away.

Grunting and groaning Noob rolled on the floor before getting up to his knees. He looked up to see Sub-zero continue to stare him down.

"Kuai-"

"Don't get up" Sub-zero scorned "Unless you intend to turn around and leave forever"

"Hmph. It seems that's all I can do" Noob admitted defeat as he put a hand on his knee to raise himself up. "I wonder what punishments Quan Chi will have for my failure…But what will you do, I wonder?" he asked as he stood at his full imposing height. Sub-zero raised an eyebrow. "You must go back, but not empty-handed, same as I. You cannot defect unless you want to die with the rest of them" the three of them flinched "In that sense, are you really helping them or just doing the same thing I would do?"

"I'm trying to help them-"

"But the end result will be no different. You cannot save them Kuai. You cannot save **her**" Sub-zero was silent and he looked back to Anna, Kristoff but most of all Elsa. "Kuai" He looked back to Noob. "You were always weak". Suddenly his shadow charged forward and shoved his shoulder into him and the dragon medallion fell off his robe. Then the shadow disappeared and Noob jumped on top of Sub-zero and they fell to the floor. He started to punch him repeatedly in the face. Small blood droplets started to spill onto the floor as he hit him. Then Sub-zero grabbed ahold of him and shoved him off. The two of them rose to their feet. Noob attacked first with a punch but Sub-zero put an arm up to block him. But Noob swung his other arm forwards and hit him in the gut. Sub-zero bent over and Noob punched him in the face and he fell to his knees. Then he kneed him in the face and he fell onto his back. Sub-zero rolled back and got to his feet. He shot an ice blast towards him but Noob ducked under it but Sub-zero followed with a kick and hit him in the face and to the floor. He raised his hand to hit him but Noob disappeared and reappeared beneath him. He propelled himself into the air and body slammed back down. They both got up and Noob advanced on him but when he got close enough Sub-zero created an ice sword and swung it furiously at Noob cutting him across his torso, face and arms when he put them up to block. Then he raised a leg and kicked him away again. Noob got up and his shadow tackled Sub-zero and Noob followed soon after. He threw a punch and kick but they were blocked. Sub-zero threw his own but they were dodged. They maneuvered down the hall fighting each other. Sub-zero punched him in the face. Noob punched him back. Sub-zero froze him and threw him to the wall causing the ice to shatter. Noon instantly grabbed ahold of him and slammed his head into the wall and did so three more times before throwing a punch which Sub-zero dodged as it went through the wall. Taking his arm out Noob swung at him but then Sub-zero froze himself and once Noob hit him he froze. Then Sub-zero kicked him away and he knocked over several pieces of armor and statues. Noob got up as Sub-zero advanced towards him but looking beyond him he saw the onlookers still where they had left them; and one of them was hurt.

Then he got an idea.

He teleported away and Sub-zero prepared himself for another attack. But a woman's shriek from behind caught his attention. He snapped his head around to see Noob tearing Elsa away from her sister and Kristoff. When he was met with resistance he kicked Kristoff in the face and he fell down. Unrestrained he picked up Elsa and held her tightly before him with his hands on her neck.

"Bi Han NO-"

"I have not times for games!" he roared "Give me the medallion Kuai"

"I don't-"

"What was it you said? I'd kill all of you anyway? And I'd laugh doing it?" there was a brief silence as all eyes were on him "You were right" he laughed as he placed 2 hands on her neck to snap it.

Then suddenly he froze. A sheet of ice overtook him. Struggling Elsa fell from his icy grip and to the floor. She kept one hand on her bleeding stomach and the other held the dragon medallion.

"Elsa!" Sub-zero exclaimed as he ran towards her. Anna and Kristoff did the same. They rushed to her side as she lay on the floor under the frozen Noob. "Are you alright?" a shaken Anna asked.

"She's been stabbed" Kristoff said

"We have to help her" Anna said on the verge of tears as she held her sisters hand. Sub-zero then knelt to down next to her. He ran a hand through her white hair and she turned to him with a weak smile. She brought a hand up to touch his beaten face yet she only trailed blood across it.

"I'm sorry" he said softly

"I don't-"she grunted "blame you" she strained her words softly

"We have to get you help" he said as he cradled her

"We have to get her out of here!" Anna shouted. Sub-zero looked up from them to the frozen Noob standing over them.

"Not yet" he said fiercely. He picked Elsa up tenderly before passing her off to Kristoff but Elsa insisted she stand for whatever was coming. Anna and Kristoff helped her stand as Sub-zero took his place before his frozen brother.

Sub-zero punched the ice and Noob dropped to his knees from it. He looked up to Kuai worn out, weak and defenseless. He knew what his brother was thinking.

"Do it" he said. All eyes went to Sub-zero "Do it" he repeated. "You'll never be rid of me unless you do. They'll never be safe unless you do" he looked over to Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. Sub-zero looked to the others and then back to Noob. He reached down and grabbed his brother's neck; preparing to perform a signature killing move of his. He yanked him up to his feet and squeezed down harder. He noticed everyone else's petrified looks as he looked at his brother enraged.

"Kuai" Elsa whispered "Don't.. you're not like him"

A quick and sharp malicious chuckle escaped Noob "Woman. He is just like me"

Sub-zero clenched down "Her name is Elsa" Noob only chuckled a little more. "But I won't do it because I've learned something since I've been here. That these two sisters would do anything for each other. But you and I would not. They love each other. We don't" he took a deep breathe "We share blood, we are the same.. but we are not brothers" everyone's eyes widened in shock " but even with all that, I will not kill you" He let go of his neck and then hit him across the head and he fell to the floor. He looked down as he lay motionless on the floor, unconscious. He let out a mournful sigh.

"Is it over?" Anna asked

"No" Sub-zero answered before looking up to them. "For all his malice and anger my brother is right"

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked "Your not-"

"The Lin Kuei and the Netherrealm will not stop until they have your powers" he told "we must find a way to keep you hidden from them" Elsa winced as she held her stomach. "But first we must get you to a doctor"

Kristoff cleared his throat "I think I can help with both of those"


	10. The Past is in the Past

So Kristoff and Anna rode atop of Sven as Sub-zero rode on Elsa's horse with her in his arms. Laid across the the horse behind them was Noob Saibots unconscious body. Sven lead the way as the made it to the mountains. The sky was ablaze with stars.

"Elsa look" Anna said to her "the sky's awake" she almost sobbed in an attempt to comfort her wounded sister. A broken smile put her at ease.

Sub-zero looked down at her wound which was covered by her own hand. Blood trickled out between her fingers. He put his hand over and held her tighter "How much longer?"

"Not too far" Kristoff responded "Is it that bad?"

"My brother was trained in the art of killing" Sub-zero stated and did not relieve the situation. "But for all his skill he was sadistic, there is still time"

"Good" Anna called out "It's not too far"

'You know of this place?"

"Not as good as me, c'mon Sven!" he called and they raced even faster.

Then they made it. They dismounted and walked towards a clearing with a bunch of stones.

"Everyone please we need help!" Kristoff called

"Please!" Anna added. Sub-zero carried Elsa across his arms from behind. Then suddenly the stones rattled and soon sprang to life.

"Kristoff's home!" they said before tackling him. "Anna too!" they said before doing the same to her.

"Please, please" Kristoff shooed them off "Where id Grand Pabbie? It's important!"

The old troll then appeared "What is it?" The two of them looked back to Sub-zero who walked forward and laid Elsa out before him. He picked up his hand from her stomach revealing to be red and everyone was shocked to see an open wound. "This can be fixed" he said before leaving his hands over the wound and then touching it himself. His hands flashed and her stomach did too before he removed his hands to reveal her to be healed and her gown repaired. A wide, relieved and brig smile gleamed from her face. She sat up and felt her healed stomach. Anna dived for her sister as Kristoff knelt down and they all hugged. Sub-zero looked on as did the trolls who let out "Awws" in response. "Who could do such a thing?" Grand Pabbie asked.

All eyes went to the unconscious Noob Saibot. Sub-zero walked over and tore his from the horse leading to him to fall to the ground. He picked him up and laid him before the old troll.

"Grand Pabbie" Kristoff spoke "Do you think you could replace his memory to make him forget all about us?"

"The head can be persuaded" he shrugged before he prepared his spell.

"No" Sub-zero snapped and everyone froze "It must be more than that" they looked at him in question

"You are Sub-zero" Grand Pabbie said and he nodded. "And this is your older brother" he nodded again.

"What do you mean no?" Kristoff asked

"My brother will return to the Netherrealm after this. He cannot simply forget about you for his superiors will suspect something. His memories must be changed if he is to return"

"I thought you didn't love him" Anna pointed out

"I don't" he stated and all again seemed disturbed. No matter how many times he admitted it it always felt wrong to those listening "but that doesn't mean I wish for him to suffer at others hands"

"And what do you have in mind. What should we replace his memories with?"

"He would only give up his pursuit if he believed Elsa was beyond his reach" he explained

"How's that?" Anna asked clueless.

"Dead". She gasped

"Oookkaay... well if he thinks she's dead he'll just leave and never come back"

"No" he said sternly "A death by his hands would have brought her to the Netherrealm. But a death by another's hands untaitned by some sorcerers magic would have sent her to heaven, a more benevolent and fitting afterlife. He would only give up if someone else did what he tried to do" they seemed confused "If I killed Elsa" They became startled with fear. Kristoff gripped Anna tighter.

"But you wouldn't would you?" Elsa pipped up to him. He looked over to her.

"I've hurt and killed many people in my life… but I'd never hurt you. Not anymore" Everyone was relieved.

"So" the old troll spoke up "I shall change his memories so that you killed Elsa to stop him from achieving his goal"

Sub-zero nodded "I imagine the outcome would please him". Grand Pabbie started to wave his hands as Sub-zero knelt down before his older brother. Grand Pabbie touched his hooded head and his new memories flowed from the trolls hands and into the wraiths head. Sub-zero brought a hand up to touch his chest.

"I will see you again.. Bi Han" he said patting his chest.

Sub-zero stood up as his brother disappeared into a portal to return him to the Netherrealm. His memories changed and the events distorted. "Your powers are impressive sorcerer" Sub-zero said. "Could you use a spell to keep wandering eyes off of these lands?"

"That will be difficult, but it can be done"

"Good. Then do it" After a wave of his hands a trail of light exited his hands went into the skies and scattered.

'This will be a shield against evil from other realms" he spoke

"Well done" he said as he tore his mask off "Now do me"

Anna, Kristoff and especially Elsa's eyes went to him stunned "What?!" she shouted

Sub-zero looked them over "My brother was right. If I stay here, the Lin Kuei will return for me. If they find me with you they will kill us all" their mouths opened with shock "If I go back as I am now.." he paused "they may suspect something and they have ways to find out the truth. And I will lose my soul in the process"

"But-" Elsa frantically stood up before him

"I will sacrifice it so you may remain safe" he said to her. She looked him over and began trembling.

"This is will be the last time we see each other" he said "Is there anything you have to say?"

"I do" Kristoff got up before Elsa could say anything. He walked up to Sub-zero. "I guess I was wrong about you. Warping your memories is a big deal, a lot for just us, thank you. You're a little rough around the edges but you're a good guy" Sub-zero nodded. Anna got up next and walked up next to Kristoff,

"Thanks for bringing me home" she said as she fiddled with her hands and looking down. Then she looked up "Just make sure Smoke and Cyrax are okay"

He nodded "I will"

"And.." she squeaked "Try to mend things with your brother"

He was silent for a few moments "I admire how much you love your sibling" he said

Anna perked up "Well thank you" she smiled

He stood firm "I wish I knew what that was like" Anna's slouched back down. "I won't lie to you" he responded. Anna nodded in acknowledgment. Now he turned to the Snow Queen. "What of you?" he asked.

Elsa started tearing up and fought back sobs

"I love you" she sniffled. His face remained stern.

"Why do you love me?"

She started trembling "Because your just like me, you're a good man" she rambled "your-"

"A murderer" she stopped "I am none of the things you've mentioned" she stared at him wide eyed. "You are a beautiful, strong confident young woman" she was stunned at his compliments and tears fell from her face. He walked up to her "As much as I would want things to be different.. they can't" he wiped her tears. "This will be the last time we see each other. I can never return" He cupped her face as she put her hands on the back of his large neck. They leaned in towards each other and their lips locked. It was not aggressive or violent but light and sweet. The grief that was built up was momentarily forgotten as warmth passed through the lips of the two cryomancers.

Anna,Kristoff and all the onlookers watched happily in silence. Then they pulled away from each other but remained intimately close.

"You're a better kisser than your brother" Elsa whispered a joke.

"Hmph" Sub-zero looked down at Elsa. "Give Olaf a warm hug for me"he said "He likes those"

She sniffled and nodded "Yeah I will"

He then slid back from her and out of her arms. Keeping his eyes on her he lowered his body and lay down on his back on the ground. He looked up at the sky.

"Let this be over with" he said aloud.

"The head is easily persuaded" Grand pabbie said "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"It is for the best" he nodded.

"Ah. Then this will be the hardest part" he said. He waved his arms as an aura appeared from and around his hands. IT then slowly made its way to Sub-zero's head. Elsa sat next to him as he lay on the ground and their eyes met, for the final time.

She slid her hand up and it locked with his. "Does it hurt?"

"No. But it is the hardest thing I've had to do"

Elsa squeezed his hand. "No matter what, I'll never forget you.. I'll always love you"

"Yes.. so will I" Elsa's smiled through a whimper "I love you too" he said. Elsa leaned down and placed her lips onto his. He could still feel and see her even as his memory of her faded. Then everything went black.


End file.
